Eye opener As a child I can remember my mother’s seemingly endless cautions regarding my BB gun. She was no hunter what does she know we thought. Injury seemed completely implausible to us and loss of an eye most likely a ridiculous story conjured up to control fun loving boys. Well she was right. Pretty much each one of us was shot at least once some a few times. One boy even received a glancing shot to the eye. Thank god we all survived sight intact but it could have, and probably should have, been different. We ignored the simple truth. We failed to protect ourselves against known and largely preventable risk. Fast forward to 2011 where a new BB gun risk began to loom. It’s called “Falling Down” and breaking a wrist, hip, lumbar vertebrae or other commonly fractured bone. It is very real and very serious. The fuel for this danger is the 100 million of us aging and our complacency toward addressing a known risk. The costs are startling both financially and emotionally. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), who’s identified mission is to protect us, has projected the following numbers for this threat to our person and health system: • “By 2020, the annual direct and indirect cost of fall injuries is expected to reach $67.7 billion (in 2012 dollars).6 That’s a big number. To add perspective, a large damaging hurricane hitting the USA east coast on average costs 1.8 billion in damages. That means people falling down in 2020 will be the equivalent (financial resources used) of the east coast getting hit with 37.61 hurricanes that year. That’s like a scene from a world apocalypse movie. Then in 2021 the 67.7billion will likely grow larger and this upward trending cost will continue until 20 some years of baby boomers have exited our health system. The CDC intends to battle this unprecedented threat via education and prevention. Like our mothers relentless cautions, the CDC prays we hear their message. They hope our action and awareness will shield us from harm and bend this cost curve down improving the likelihood our health system remains solvent. So far we have talked dollars but the far more costly aspect of falling is the emotional trauma. Falling and being hurt can and does initiate a health cascade that can rob our ability to live independently. An injury fall can prevent our return home to loved ones if we lose the strength or ability to safely take care of ourselves. Further, it is believed that a fall can inspire a fear of falling and a fear of falling can raise the likelihood of another fall. WHAT?, yeah its true. So given that almost 98% of folks want to remain in their homes available to friends and family the whole of their lives, it only makes sense they educate themselves about the risk of falling and take action. Key action components are: 1. Improving balance 2. Review of medications 3. Address home safety risks 4. Vision evaluation Listen to your mom, be proactive and enjoy your life and those around you. Watch the brief video below regarding the topic. Keep revisiting the topic to prevent complacency and spread the word among those you know. marketplace.org/topics/life/elderly-falling-down-can-be-costly-accident
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 18:57:28 +0000