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Josette Manning, Secretary
DPH Media Relations Coordinator Contact:
Laura Matusheski
Email: DPHMedia@Delaware.gov
Date: September 16, 2024
DHSS-9-2024
Falls Prevention Awareness Week is Sep. 23-27, 2024
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:
Reduce falls by following these recommendations from the Falls Prevention Team:
Communities and public spaces can increase accessibility when they:
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.
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation.
Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind or speech disabled can contact DPH by dialing 711 first using specialized devices (i.e. TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free and to learn more about how it works, please visit delawarerelay.com.
Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.