Life Expectancy After Fall In Elderly

More than 1 in 4 senior citizens fall each year, sometimes resulting in serious injuries. In the year 2018 alone, seniors reported almost 36 million falls, with 8.4 million resulting in injuries. Sadly, over 32,000 seniors pass away every year due to falling-related injuries.

At-home falls are one of leading causes of injury among senior citizens. At a certain point, it will be ideal to make some safety updates to your home. Many dangers can exist in the home like basement stairs, porch steps, and other obstacles that make it hard to navigate.

Aging adults who have lost a bit of balance may be at a higher risk of tripping and falling at home.

How Do Falls Cause Death In The Elderly?

Things like advanced age, pre-existing medical conditions, and frailty can contribute to long recovery processes after a fall. Ground-level falls, which seem quite innocent, can actually cause serious injuries for the elderly. One study concluded that older adults are three times more likely to die after a low-level fall than those individuals under the age of 70.

Another recent study collected by the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control concluded that nearly half of fall-related deaths among people aged 65 and above involved an injury to the head. Even with less severe injuries that do not involve the head, prognosis and treatment is still quite difficult with the elderly.

Hospitalizations always come with some risks. Even when an elderly adult survives a fall and receives medical care, longer recovery time at the hospital could result in discharge to a long-term care facility. Longer hospital stays can increase vulnerability to diseases like pneumonia, for example.

Consequences Of Elderly Falls

The seriousness of a fall will depend on the nature of the accident. For instance, the way an individual falls could be the difference between a broken hip or traumatic brain injury (TBI). The most common fall-related injuries are soft tissue injuries and fractured bones.

Unfortunately, even minor trauma can lead to a hospitalization for seniors. It’s possible seniors may never regain their level of functionality after the fall.

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