HHS HealthBeat (August 22, 2007)

Old but on their feet

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

An occasional fall can be a bother to younger people but a danger to older ones. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallied the risk.

The researchers say falls led to nearly 14,000 deaths and over 1.5 million emergency room visits in 2003.  Dr. Judy Stevens says falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people over 65. And she says it’s been getting worse.

``From 1993 to 2003, the rate of fatal falls increased 55 percent. This is a significant increase.’’ (8 seconds)

And Stevens says seniors who fear falls may be less active – which, she says, really makes things worse. She says regular exercise – especially things like tai chi, which help balance – can help seniors prevent falls.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: August, 22 2007