Public Health Officials Working To Prevent Falls Among Elderly

HARTFORD — More than any other preventable injury, falls cause older adults in Connecticut to lose their independence and be placed in nursing homes. Falls can also lead to hospitalization and possibly death, and cost the state millions of dollars.

“Falls are a major cause of disability and even death for Connecticut seniors. They also lead to significant health care costs for the state,” stated Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, MD, MPH. “The good news is that falls are largely preventable, and we are making important progress in reducing the risk of fall-related injury for Connecticut seniors.”

According to officials at the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH):

*Falls are responsible for approximately 8,500 hospitalizations each year.

*Average direct medical cost per hospitalization is $12,705.

*Approximately 70 percent of fall-related hospitalizations are among persons aged 65 years or older.

*Older adults have a death rate due to falls that is six times that of the state’s average death rate.

*At least 30 percent of community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older will fall each year.

Interventions

DPH is working with local health departments to implement community fall prevention programs for older adults. Local health departments receive an annual allocation from the federal Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) block grant to address community health needs, including fall prevention.

Each year, three to six local health departments conduct fall prevention programs. Fall prevention activities focus on decreasing home hazards, improving strength and balance through exercise programs, reducing medication interactions, and increasing awareness of fall risks and prevention among older adults and their families.

Local health departments that are receiving funding for fall prevention initiatives this year are the East Shore Health District (serving the communities of Branford, East Haven, and North Branford), Guilford Health Department, and Pomperaug Health District (serving the communities of Southbury, Woodbury, and Oxford).

Examples of fall-related interventions include the following:

*Local health departments, usually in collaboration with home health care agencies, conduct home safety visits to identify fall hazards, such as slipping and tripping hazards, inadequate lighting, and lack of grab bars or railings.

*Home visitors provide safety supplies, such as nonslip mats, night lights, tub chairs and tub transfer benches, bed rails, grab bars and kitchen item reachers, and rubber cane tips for older adult participants.

*Home visitors also provide education on how to prevent falls and work with older adults and family members to correct hazards.

*Fall prevention presentations and medication safety reviews, which check prescription and over-the-counter medicines for possible interactions that could lead to falls, are provided in senior centers, housing complexes, and other settings.

*Exercise classes for older adults that focus on improving strength, balance, and flexibility are offered in four- to six-week sessions at senior centers and housing sites.

The DPH and local health agencies are providing critical fall prevention services to older adults in their communities. Results from the past four years include the following:

*More than 550 home safety visits were conducted for older adults, and at least 77 percent of identified fall hazards were corrected on visits.

*Fifty percent of the home safety visit recipients reported falling during the year prior to the visit, while only 3 percent reported falling at the four-month follow-up after the visit.

*At least 370 older adults participated in exercise classes, with 92 percent reported continuing to exercise at the end of program.

*Approximately 900 persons participated in fall prevention seminars or medication safety review programs. Approximately 87 percent were able to identify fall risk factors and 79 percent reported taking action to reduce their fall risks as a result of the programs.

The PHHS Block Grant is the only funding source to many public health agencies to provide fall prevention services, which can prevent nursing home admissions, reduce health care costs, and help Connecticut’s older residents remain active and independent members of society.