The MNA Health & Safety Division of Nursing, in collaboration with financial support through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Training and Career Ladder Program developed this series of educational videos. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from these videos leads to safer care for both the patient and the providers delivering care. It is known that falls, with or without injury, can impact a person’s quality of life. We have created this Fall Prevention video series with a primary focus on patients in behavioral health settings.
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) which leads the National Falls Prevention Resource Center, reports: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other falls research:
- More than one-fourth of Americans age 65+ falls each year.1
- Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults.2
- The cost of treating injuries caused by falls is projected to increase to over $101 billion by 2030.3
- Falls result in more than 3 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 800,000 hospitalizations.4
- In 2015, the total cost of non-fatal fall injuries was $50 billion.5
- Each year about $754 million is spent on medical costs related to fatal falls.5
- For older adults in the U.S., fall death rates went up by 30% from 2007-2016, and researchers predict there will be 7 deadly falls every hour by 2030.4
- People with mild hearing loss are nearly three times as likely to fall, with each 10 decibels of hearing loss increasing fall risk.6
- The majority (60%) of falls happen in the home, 30% in a public setting, and 10% in a health care center.7
Resource: https://ncoa.org/article/get-the-facts-on-falls-prevention
Video Resource
Overview of Fall Risks and Preventions including Environmental Strategies
Download the powerpoint slides
