DOVER, DEL. (Sept. 16, 2024) – The Delaware Coalition for Injury Prevention’s Falls Prevention Team asks Delawareans to reduce broken bones, head injuries, and disabilities by preventing falls. Governor John Carney and Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long proclaimed Sep. 23 to 27, 2024 as Falls Prevention Awareness Week.

A fall can impact a person’s mobility, functionality, and independence. In the U.S., falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among adults aged 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unintentional falls were the leading cause of traumatic brain injury hospitalizations among U.S. individuals aged 10 and older in 2016 and 2017, and hip fractures due to a fall accounted for 88% of emergency department visits and hospitalizations among U.S. adults aged 65 and older in 2019, according to the CDC. Every year in the U.S., one in four falls among adults 65 and older leads to 41,000 deaths, 3.6 million emergency department visits, and 1.2 million hospital stays, the CDC says.

In Delaware in 2023, there were 3,483 falls among individuals aged 65 and older, and 923 of them resulted in a head injury, according to the Delaware Trauma Registry of the Delaware Trauma System of Care.  According to Delaware Trauma System data, in 2023, Delaware men had a disproportionately higher number of falls compared to Delaware women in all ages groups, except for over the age of 70, which were higher among women.

“As a nurse, I know staying healthy and safe takes an all-hands-on-deck approach: there are steps you can take as well as efforts from businesses, organizations, churches and schools, said Lt. Governor Hall-Long, PhD, RN. “Aging safely can occur when adults of all ages visit their health care provider yearly to review medications and physical activity levels, and get a fall risk assessment. Hearing and vision exams are also key to reduce the risk of falling as well as engagement in balance classes. A strong, healthy Delaware is powered by strong, healthy residents.”

A Matter of Balance classes are held in communities throughout the state. Call Volunteer Delaware 50+ at 302-515-3020 or visit Bayhealth.org/Classes to sign up.

ChristianaCare offers the ThinkFirst to Prevent Falls program which addresses home modifications, medications, balance, healthy eating, and other strategies to prevent falls. ChristianaCare also offers Fall Prevention Education for Caregivers, a seminar that educates first time and veteran caregivers how to implement falls reduction strategies in their home and community. The seminar shares medications related to falls, community resources, balance programs, and resources from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and CDC. These classes are available in person at no cost. To schedule these programs and obtain more information, contact injuryprevention@christianacare.org.

Find free fall risk screening and prevention information at the following events:

• Sept. 24, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – Free Fall Risk Screening at Mid-County Senior Center, First Regiment Rd., Sherwood Park II, Wilmington, Del., 19808 provided by University of Delaware Physical Therapy students. The screening is open to members of the public who are over the age of 50.
• Sept. 25, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – Free Fall Risk Screening at Modern Maturity Center, West Conference Room, 1121 Forrest Avenue, Dover, Del. 19904 provided by Delaware State University (DSU) Nursing and Master of Occupational Therapy students. The Falls Prevention Team will lead a 12:15 p.m. bingo game with prizes courtesy of DSU. It is open to the public.
• Oct. 3, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Free Fall Risk Screening at Milford Senior Center, Ireland Room, 111 Park Avenue, Milford, Del. 19963 provided by Delaware State University (DSU) Nursing and Master of Occupational Therapy students. It is open to the public, but they must RSVP to 302-422-3385. At 12:30 p.m., the Falls Prevention Team will lead a bingo game with prizes courtesy of DSU and the Division of Public Health Diabetes and the Heart Disease Prevention and Control Program.

Reduce falls by following these recommendations from the Falls Prevention Team:

• Engage in consistent physical fitness activities and balance exercises, eat nutritious foods and beverages, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep.
• Receive regular hearing and vision exams and review medications with your health care provider and pharmacist.
• Wear shoes in good condition with proper fit, tread, and support to aid in ambulation. Individuals at risk of falls should wear shoes that fit around their feet with no open backs to avoid falling out of them.
• Reduce tripping hazards by keeping homes, yards, and public areas clutter-free. Use motion-activated night lights and keep walkways and parking areas well lit.  Install grab bars in key areas such as stairs and bathrooms. Do not let pets get underfoot; teach them basic commands like “sit” and “stay.”
• Take canes and walkers with you to provider visits so the provider can ensure a proper fit.

Communities and public spaces can increase accessibility when they:

• Have curb cuts, ramps, and slopes meet state and local safety codes and the guidelines provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Curb cuts, tactile surface pavers, slopes, contrasting colors, and other universal design elements especially help individuals who use walkers and wheelchairs, who push strollers, and who have a hard time lifting their feet onto the curb.
• Provide designated parking for people with mobility challenges.
• Maintain ramps and walkways and providing appropriate lighting.
• Install handrails, ramps, and automatic doors and keeping them free of hazards.
• Use floor mats with flat and secured edges that do not curl up. Absorbent floor mats catch rain, snow, and spilled drinks.

For more information about preventing falls and falls data, visit:  the DCIP at https://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/ems/ipfall.html, the CDC’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries (STEADI) program at https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/index.html, and NCOA at https://www.ncoa.org/page/falls-prevention-awareness-week-toolkit.

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