Risk of Fall Related Injuries for Older Adults
Greg Anderson
March 31, 2005
Top health and safety organizations including The National Council on the Aging (NCOA), the Home Safety Council (HSC), the National Safety Council (NSC) and the Archstone Foundation announced today the formation of the Falls Free Coalition to address the growing problem of falls and fall-related injuries among older adults. More than one-third of adults 65 years and older fall each year and among those who fall, 20 to 30 percent suffer moderate to severe injuries that reduce mobility and independence, and increase the risk of premature death.
The coalition, consisting of more than 55 organizations, represents a collaborative approach to promoting a national falls prevention action plan. Experts and stakeholders first gathered at a summit in December to produce the groundbreaking new initiative entitled Falls Free: Promoting a National Falls Prevention Action Plan. The national action plan, a collection of 36 strategies designed to address the challenges related to a national falls prevention initiative, was released in March at the American Society on Aging and NCOA annual conference.
"Finding ways to prevent and reduce falls is of paramount importance for seniors today and tomorrow," said James Firman, President and CEO of NCOA. "The National Action Plan is offered as both a call to action and a guide for implementing an effective, coordinated approach to reducing injurious and fatal falls among older adults."
Reducing falls among older adults is a complex public health issue that can only be addressed through a coordinated effort among a diverse number of organizations. "Creating a comprehensive national action plan was an initial step to addressing and preventing falls among older adults," said HSC President Meri-K Appy. "Establishing the Falls Free Coalition will move the needle even further by advocating for a public policy solution to preventing falls."
The Falls Free Coalition will work to advance solutions in the areas of public policy, communications and advocacy. "Because falls among older adults is an issue of extreme importance to the National Safety Council, we have actively promoted Federal legislation that addresses fall prevention initiatives," said NSC President and CEO Alan McMillan. "The collaborative leadership of these organizations will advance the collective efforts of the Falls Free Coalition to diminish the personal and financial devastation that preventable falls cause individuals, their families and society."
The coalition hopes to advance the national action plan among key national stakeholders and build community awareness and support for prevention activities among older adults.
"The causes of falls are multiple," said Joseph F. Prevratil, President and CEO of the Archstone Foundation. "And so to effectively intervene we must work collaboratively. The Archstone Foundation is pleased to partner in this national effort."
To download Falls Free: Promoting a National Falls Prevention Action Plan, and for additional information on falls prevention, log onto http://www.healthyagingprograms.org/, "What's New."
The coalition, consisting of more than 55 organizations, represents a collaborative approach to promoting a national falls prevention action plan. Experts and stakeholders first gathered at a summit in December to produce the groundbreaking new initiative entitled Falls Free: Promoting a National Falls Prevention Action Plan. The national action plan, a collection of 36 strategies designed to address the challenges related to a national falls prevention initiative, was released in March at the American Society on Aging and NCOA annual conference.
"Finding ways to prevent and reduce falls is of paramount importance for seniors today and tomorrow," said James Firman, President and CEO of NCOA. "The National Action Plan is offered as both a call to action and a guide for implementing an effective, coordinated approach to reducing injurious and fatal falls among older adults."
Reducing falls among older adults is a complex public health issue that can only be addressed through a coordinated effort among a diverse number of organizations. "Creating a comprehensive national action plan was an initial step to addressing and preventing falls among older adults," said HSC President Meri-K Appy. "Establishing the Falls Free Coalition will move the needle even further by advocating for a public policy solution to preventing falls."
The Falls Free Coalition will work to advance solutions in the areas of public policy, communications and advocacy. "Because falls among older adults is an issue of extreme importance to the National Safety Council, we have actively promoted Federal legislation that addresses fall prevention initiatives," said NSC President and CEO Alan McMillan. "The collaborative leadership of these organizations will advance the collective efforts of the Falls Free Coalition to diminish the personal and financial devastation that preventable falls cause individuals, their families and society."
The coalition hopes to advance the national action plan among key national stakeholders and build community awareness and support for prevention activities among older adults.
"The causes of falls are multiple," said Joseph F. Prevratil, President and CEO of the Archstone Foundation. "And so to effectively intervene we must work collaboratively. The Archstone Foundation is pleased to partner in this national effort."
To download Falls Free: Promoting a National Falls Prevention Action Plan, and for additional information on falls prevention, log onto http://www.healthyagingprograms.org/, "What's New."