Seniors & Special Needs: Accidental Fall Prevention
Home safety program to prevent falls
What: The Vancouver Fire Department, Southwest Region EMS & Trauma Care Council, Public Safety Educator's Coalition, and Clark County EMS District #2 are sponsoring a fall factors/stop falls program - a proactive home-safety program to prevent life threatening falls in the home among seniors.
For Who: Senior citizens aged 65 years of age and older
Where: Clark County
When: Now through June of 2005
Why:
- 50% - 70% of falls are due to home hazards
- Falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries and the fourth leading cause of accidental death in Clark county
- 212,000 hip fractures occur each year nationally among seniors leaving nearly half of those individuals permanently disabled
- 50% of all older adults hospitalized for hip fractures cannot return home or live independently after their injuries
- Medical costs for seniors who fall is estimated at $3 billion
- One in three of those aged 65 years and older fall at least once
- One in forty of those will be hospitalized - and only half will survive the year
Information and Assessments:
Southwest Region EMS & Trauma Care Council and local fire departments are offering free brochures and home safety assessments to seniors in order to put a stop to statistics like these. In Vancouver, to determine whether you qualify for a free home assessment or to request a free brochure for senior home safety tips, please call (360) 892-4323 or Email for more information.