AUSTIN (KXAN)— The National Council on Aging is raising awareness of one of the biggest injury risks in older adults with National Falls Prevention Awareness Week from Sept. 23 through Sept. 27.
“This is a week where we can really get the message out that although falls are very common for older adults, they are absolutely preventable,” said Kristen Hullum, an RN and trauma injury prevention coordinator at the St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center.
Hullum said one in four American adults will fall in their life, with about 40% of those falls causing an injury. Thirty-six thousand older adults die each year as a result of those injuries, which can include hip fractures or traumatic brain injury.
“A lot of older adults may take blood thinners, which can increase the risk of bleeding in their brain when they do hit their head that hard,” Hullum said. “Those types of things are really what begins that spiral that can lead to death.”
These falls become a bigger concern after the age of 65. Older adults are more prone to falling because of age-related changes in their bodies.
“They’re having changes in their vision,” Hullum said. “They are losing strength, and they’re losing balance, they’re losing muscle. They may have other medical conditions like Parkinson’s or a stroke.”
There are more mundane causes as well, like rushing to get the phone, or tripping over a pet or small child.
Part of preventing falls in the first place is keeping the body active with strength and balancing exercises. For people on medications, it’s important to speak with a doctor about side effects like dizziness that could raise the risk of falling.
More information on National Falls Prevention Week is available on the NCOA website.