Senior Falls Prevention Initiative
Falls are the leading cause of injury death and injury
hospitalization for Maine seniors over the age of 65. Recognizing the
seriousness of the problem, the United Way of Eastern Maine, and
particularly the Senior Community Impact Council, has adopted a falls
prevention initiative.
"We’re working with the community and getting at the underlying
causes that directly affect our senior population,” Ed French,
Community Impact Associate – Supporting Seniors, said recently.
The statistics around falls suffered by the elderly highlight the need
for some kind of preventative program. About 664 Eastern Maine seniors
are treated for falls in hospital emergency rooms each year. As many as
11,000 senior falls, however, go unreported.
The regional cost related to emergency room visits for falls is
approximately $6.8 million, with a typical fall resulting in about
$14,500 in health care costs. More than half of those seniors
hospitalized for a fall will be discharged to a skilled nursing
facility. Hip fractures in Eastern Maine, a common injury in falls,
cost about $1.6 million a year. About 25 percent of those elders who
suffer hip fractures never live independently again, and about 14
percent die within one year.
In light of these numbers, the Senior Community Impact Council decided to take action and set as the initiative’s goals to:
• Raise awareness about the risks, frequency and cost of falls occurring in Eastern Maine.
• Develop a comprehensive plan for a pilot community or targeted population.
Toward that end, the council has acquired the services of Karen
Tolstrup, an Americorps VISTA volunteer for six months. She has been
charged “to do the research on evidence-based programs to prevent falls
in the elderly,” Ed said. The research is expected “to result in an
action plan for the council” by spring 2008, he said.
Karen currently is examining national and international
programs, including those conducted by the Centers for Disease Control
and the state of Maine, and data from such countries as Australia,
Canada and Denmark. Those programs must “not only have substance, but
also measurable outcomes,” Karen said.
The research will be applied to the council’s action plan. Some
possible strategies include: working with pharmacies and care providers
to offer physical mobility self-assessment forms to elders with
appropriate follow-up sessions; working with medical providers to
compile a list of questions that patients should ask during a doctor’s
visit; empowering elders to ask the right questions about their
mobility problems; and training those who regularly enter the home,
such as home care workers and volunteers, on how to identify home
hazards and fall risks.
The falls prevention initiative is expected to be a major effort
for the Senior Community Impact Council, one that will engage more than
just those in elder services and the healthcare fields, Ed said. With
UWEM’s experience and expertise in creating collaborative efforts and
its requirement that programs be results-based, the initiative is an
appropriate one for the organization to take on, he indicated. “We want
to rally the community around this issue,” Ed said.
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