Aging brings many worries … the things we all fret about, like thinning hair, wrinkles and creaky joints. You might add “can’t stay on our feet” to the list.
Falls are a leading cause of both hospitalization and institutionalization in the U.S. Despite prevention efforts, a new University of Michigan study found that the number of falls requiring medical attention increase by about 1.5% a year.
The researchers reviewed Medicare claims from adults 65 and older from 2016 to 2019.
The average yearly increase equals roughly an additional 106,000 people injured badly enough to require medical care. Of the 4.5 million or so older people who file Medicare claims every year, costs range from $15 billion to $30 billion.
The researchers said it’s puzzling that despite fall-prevention efforts, the numbers continue to climb. And they’re not sure if those communication and education efforts aren’t working well or whether they are and injuries would be worse without them.
The researchers said it simply could be that older adults are increasingly physically active and thus fall more. Prescription medicine could also be a factor.
The data revealed the biggest risk areas for falls were in the Central Plains and the South, although researchers couldn’t say precisely why that is.