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Falls kill more than car accidents

Numbers expected to grow as baby boomer population ages.

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8:10 PM Sunday, February 12, 2012

By Cornelius Frolik

Staff Writer

Accidental falls kill more people in the region than automobile crashes, and the aging Baby Boomer generation means that fall-related hospitalizations and deaths could continue to rise in coming years, according to a JournalNews/Journal analysis of state data and interviews with experts.

But experts agree that many falls are preventable, and area residents can protect against dangerous tumbles through a combination of exercise, medication management, use of assistive devices, environmental improvements and better assessment of risk factors.

In 2010, about 196 people were killed as a result of accidental falls in Butler, Champaign, Clark, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Warren counties, according to preliminary data from the Ohio Department of Health. Those fatalities outnumbered the 143 people killed in automobile crashes in the seven-county area in 2010.

The death toll was higher than in all but two other years in the last decade, and it has surged from 93 deaths in 2000, according to the health department.

Statewide, about 1,105 people died as a result of accidental falls in 2010, a 133 percent increase from 2000, according to the health department. This compares to the 1,258 people who died statewide in auto crashes in 2010.

By 2020, Ohio’s 60 and older population is expected to increase by 28 percent to 2.8 million people.

Experts said the older the person, the more likely they are to fall accidentally.

Accidental falls are the leading cause of injury death among older Ohioans, and about one-third of people over the age of 65 who live in the community will have one or more falls each year, said Larry Lawhorne, chair and professor of geriatrics at Wright State University.

Between 20 to 30 percent of the people who accidentally fall will suffer moderate to severe injuries that make it hard for them to get around or live independently, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The injuries will increase the risk of early death.

About 5 percent of people who accidentally fall will suffer hip fractures and internal bleeding in the cranium, Lawhorne said.

In 2009, emergency rooms in Butler, Champaign, Clark, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Warren counties treated 7,291 patients 65 and older for injuries related to falls, according to the state.

Lawhorne said falls often occur because of multiple factors, and too often people attribute them to a careless step or an uprooted carpet, instead of recognizing underlying causes, such as adverse reactions to medication. This can spell trouble down the line.

“They are more likely to fall again because we did not take care of the risk factors that caused them to fall in the first place,” Lawhorne said.

Lawhorne said some people fall accidentally because they have poor eyesight or they take a medication that makes them groggy or less aware of their surroundings.

He said the older the person, the more likely he or she is likely to fall accidentally.

As the country’s 65 and older population doubles from 36 million today to about 72 million in 2030, experts said it is important for care providers and medical staff to screen for risk factors that contribute to accidental falls and take steps to remedy those issues.

To help avoid falls, remove tripping hazards, install bright lighting, get regular eye exams, install safety bars, use canes and walkers and manage prescription medications. Exercise improves stability and builds muscle, which reduces the likelihood of accidental falls.

Accidental falls are especially common in nursing homes. About half of the 1.6 million people who live in U.S. nursing homes will fall each year, according to a 2010 report by the Falls Management Program with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Nursing home residents are usually more frail than other adults, and accidental falls are often a sign of some other health problem. One of the primary reasons people enter nursing homes is because of a fall.

Bonnie Kantor-Burman, director of the Ohio Department of Aging, said the state hopes to cut down on accidental falls by instructing caregivers to provide person-centered care in assisted living centers, nursing homes and home care situations.

Under this directive, caregivers get to know their clients and become familiar with their medications, medical history and life, which will allow them to identify risk factors for accidental falls, Kantor-Burman said.

She said accidental falls are controllable and avoidable, and she said there are resources available to help seniors realize this. For example, the Preble County Council on Aging regularly hosts A Matter of Balance, an evidence-based program designed to reduce fear of falls.

“We used to think that falls are just one of those things that happen as you get older. But that’s not the case,” Kantor-Burman said.

Falls continued from B1

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