If you are an older adult, you need to pay close attention to your safety while walking, not only around the house but especially in public spaces. Unfortunately, some careless business owners and property owners fail to address hazards that can cause people to fall down, and the consequences of a fall are often especially devastating for older adults.
It is vital for those who are older, as well as their loved ones, to understand the risks that are present. Reviewing data on the consequences of falls involving the elderly helps shed light on the scope of this problem.
Statistics on Falls Involving Older Adults
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published data on falls involving older adults. According to the CDC, older adults who fell down accounted for three million visits to emergency departments across the country during 2019. Moreover, the medical costs associated with these falls total $50 billion each year. Furthermore, falls claimed the lives of 34,000 adults aged 65 and over during 2019.
Data on Falls and Hip Fractures
Many older adults who fall down suffer hip fractures. On an annual basis, more than 300,000 people 65 and older need hospitalization as a result of hip fractures, and over 95% of these injuries occur as a result of falls. Aside from hip fractures, older adults sometimes suffer broken bones in other parts of their body and brain damage due to a head injury.
If a fall has turned your life upside down, you need to take action if the accident occurred because of another party’s negligence.
