February 2016

One of the most serious fall injuries is a broken hip. It is hard to recover from a hip fracture and afterward many people are not able to live on their own. As the U.S. population gets older, the number of hip fractures is likely to go up. Each year at least 250,000 older people—those 65 and older—are hospitalized for hip fractures.1 More than 95% of hip fracture are caused by falling,2

Treating fall injuries is very costly.  In 2013, direct medical costs for falls—what patients and insurance companies pay—totaled $34 billion.1  Because the U.S. population is aging, both the number of falls and the costs to treat fall injuries are likely to rise. Each year, millions of people 65 and older are treated in emergency departments because of falls.2 Over 700,000 patients a year are hospitalized because of a fall injury, most often

Each year, millions of older people—those 65 and older—fall. In fact, one out of three older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor. Falling once doubles your chances of falling again. Falls Are Serious and Costly One out of five falls causes a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury.1,2 Each year, 2.5 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries.3 Over 700,000 patients