San Mateo County Fall Prevention Week highlights how the leading cause of injury and death among older adults is easily prevented
SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. — Falls are the number one reason for injury-related hospitalizations for San Mateo County residents ages 55 years and older, and the leading cause of death for residents over the age of 75. On the heels of falls experienced by such prominent figures as Margaret Thatcher, Sonya Sotomayor, Hillary Clinton, and the Pope, the first week of autumn brings the message that falls are preventable with the second annual Fall Prevention Awareness Week. A simple fall can be a nuisance to many of us, yet to a senior it can be a matter of life or death. San Mateo County Fall Prevention Week, September 20 to September 26, will focus on efforts to help seniors learn how to reduce their risk of falling.
Every eighteen seconds in the U.S., an older adult is treated for a fall; every twenty-five seconds an older adult dies as a result of a fall-related injury. In 2006, there were 27 deaths and 1,573 hospitalizations due to falls in San Mateo County for residents 65 years and older; the average cost of hospitalization for each fall is estimated at $42,000 in San Mateo County. For that same period, California had 67,640 hospitalizations and 14,052 deaths due to falls for residents 65 years or older.
“As our population ages, fall-prevention becomes more and more important,” said Supervisor Adrienne J. Tissier, who shares a home with her 88-year-old mother. “We must be cognizant of things or circumstances at home, workplaces and businesses that might lead to falls.”
The San Mateo County Fall Prevention Task Force has planned a number of activities to highlight this health issue and offer solutions to seniors to help them reduce their risk of falls. Activities include a Wellness Fair on September 26, 10 am–2 pm, lectures at senior care facilities, and tip sheets on how to avoid falls. There are also on-going programs that include a six-week education program at Sequoia Hospital, “Fallproof”, an exercise class offered at Mills- Peninsula Hospital, and a free home-based program offered by Stanford University Medical Center called “Farewell to Falls” where an Occupational Therapist comes to the home for two home visits and looks at various risk factors for falls. A full listing of activities can be found at http://www.smcfallprevention.org.
The good news is that falls are preventable. A combination of interventions has been found to significantly reduce falls in the older adult population. Experts recommend physical activity regimen with balance, strength training, and flexibility components, have your vision checked every year, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your medications as certain medications and/or interactions between medications can also increase your risk for falls, and consult with a health professional about getting a fall risk assessment and making sure the home environment is safe.
The goal of the Fall Prevention Task Force is to make sure every senior, and everyone caring for a senior in San Mateo County, knows that a fall can seriously injure an older adult. The Task Force wants to make sure that seniors and caregivers know that there are things they can do to help prevent those falls, and resources in the community that can help them.
About the San Mateo County Task Force – The Task Force is a coalition of 30 agencies throughout San Mateo County and beyond dedicated to reducing falls among the older adult members of our community. For more information go to www.smcfallprevention.org.