The initiative includes a National Action Plan; National Coalition; State Coalitions on Fall Prevention Workgroup with 41 state members; numerous advocacy, awareness, and educational initiatives; and community infrastructure building to reduce falls among the elderly.  Click here for information on future activities.

Falls remain the leading cause of injury death for older Americans. Falls threaten seniors' safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs.  

CDC's Injury Center monitors falls, fall-related injuries, and associated costs, reporting:

• In 2009, more than 20,000 older Americans died from injuries related to unintentional falls.
• In 2010, over 2.3 million older Americans were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries from falls and more than 650,000 were hospitalized.  CDC reports the death rate from falls among older adults has increased by 42% from 2000 to 2006.
• The total cost of fall injuries for older Americans was estimated to be $28.2 billion (in 2010 dollars).  By 2020, the annual direct and indirect cost of fall injuries is expected to reach $54.9 billion.

In addition to pain and suffering, and the high cost of rehabilitation, falls with or without injury also carry a heavy quality of life impact. A growing number of older adults fear falling and, as a result, often self-limit activities and social engagements. Resulting limitations can result in further physical decline, depression, social isolation, and feelings of helplessness.

This potentially bleak future for aging Americans is not inevitable; evidence-based interventions that target individual risk factors for falling have been shown to reduce falls and promote falls self-efficacy.

The above article courtesy of the National Council on Aging.