In 2014, 29 million people over the age of 65 fell. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that while these accidents happen more often, they are preventable. A program to educate seniors about fall prevention will take place Tuesday at 8,000 Walgreens stores, including on Long Island.
Dr. Robin Lee of the CDC is an epidemiologist and a researcher in fall prevention.
“Not all of these falls result in an injury but one in five does and the injuries can be pretty severe they could be things, like head injuries and hip fractures,” said Lee.
She says 74 seniors will die each day as a direct result of a fall. The death rate has increased almost 20 percent over the past 12 years. Dr. Lee says there are a number of reasons for this.
“We have 10,000 people in the U.S who turn 65 each day. Another reason would be older adults are living longer and they have more chronic conditions.”
The CDC is working with Walgreens to educate seniors on how the side effects of some medications contributes to falls and on ways to prevent them.