Falls Prevention

Why is falls prevention so important?

  • Nationally, 1 in 3 older adults fall each year and 1 in 10 falls result in hospitalization; if Tompkins County mirrored this trend, this would be an estimated 3,369 people having falls each year
  • Falls are the top reason the Emergency Medical Services are called; in 2011, falls resulted in 12.7% of all calls to EMS
  • Tompkins County (9.2%) has a higher percentage of adults 65+ who had falls that resulted in injuries when compared to the rest of upstate New York (4.7%)
  • Tompkins County residents with disabilities report more falls and experience more injuries when they do fall
  • Tompkins County residents 60+ have medical conditions which make them at particular risk of falling:
    • Arthritis: 58%
    • Foot problems: 26%
    • Osteoporosis: 20%

But falls are not an unavoidable part of growing older, older adults everywhere are discovering they can control their risk of falling. Below are resources that can help you reduce your risk of falling, continue the activities that you enjoy, and help maintain your independence!

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