A yellow bracelet for patients susceptible to falls on a hospital questionnaire
Falls are actually the leading reason behind injury and death amongst older people (65+) within the United States, accounting for nearly 75 deaths per day. Emergency medical services (EMS) are mostly contacted via 911 or the local fire department. report that 17% of calls for help at home from people over 65 are because of falls. In addition, 50% of so-called “lift assist” calls lead to a second call inside two weeks.
These statistics have a strong increase over the past 10 years as our population ages. And these calls aren’t limited to older adults living alone. A 75-year-old man I do know, whose wife is in her mid-80s, has needed to call emergency services twice up to now two years when his wife fell. She was not injured, but she is heavier than he can safely lift. This will not be an unusual scenario.
Only one in five falls ends in serious injuries, so many falls aren’t reported. Only about 37% of those that fall require medical treatment or are restricted of their activity for even a single day. However, there is obvious evidence that falls of every kind are increasing rapidly. In older adults Population Today, there are 58 million, and by 2050, there shall be 82 million. So it is obvious that there may be cause for concern. The following additional statistics prove this:
· 70% of Deaths in adults over 75 years of age are because of falls
· Falls are probably the most common reason for rescue operations amongst older people within the USA
· One in 4 older adults within the United States falls every year
· Falls account for six% of the overall Medicare budget
Paramedics are on the front lines of this increase in falls and can likely play a key role in our efforts to curb this increase in incidents. EMS calls are expensive and divert priceless resources from responding to calls which are more time-sensitive and require transport to hospital (most fall-related calls don’t lead to hospital transport because no injury is present). However, these lift assistance calls, as coded within the reporting database, are also related to increased morbidity and mortality. According to the National Council on Agingthese calls must be considered a wake-up call – a warning signal – and a sign that further assessment and intervention could also be required.
Paramedics can play a vital role in informing older people of their community in regards to the services available to them locally, equivalent to:
· Education programs for fall prevention locally
· Written guidelines to extend the collapse resistance of your house
· Observing older people of their homes and providing personal advice on changes that may reduce the likelihood of future falls of their homes
The National Council on Aging strongly recommends a partnership between emergency medical services and anxious residents and offers the next recommendations on how community organizations can involve their local fire departments or other emergency medical services in a fall prevention strategy:
1. Work with emergency services to gather the knowledge needed to find out the frequency of calls for lifts. This will allow your community to focus on fall prevention efforts where they’re needed most.
2. Learn in regards to the connection between fire and falls and the way the 2 hazards are related
3. Schedule a gathering between your organization and the local fire department or fire authority to work together on opportunities for an efficient partnership.
4. Identify opportunities for collaboration. Evaluate current fall prevention strategies
A partnership between first responders and the community wherein they work can go a great distance toward dispelling the growing evidence that falls outweigh all other health threats for older people.
