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- By 2026, the population of Americans ages 65 and older will double to
71.5 million. - Between 2007 and 2015, the number of Americans ages 85 and older is
expected to increase by 40 percent. - Among people turning 65 today, 69 percent will need some form of
long-term care, whether in the community or in a residential care facility. - In 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term care.
- There are 16,100 certified nursing homes in the United States.
- There are 39,500 assisted living facilities in the United States.
- There are 2,240 continuing care retirement communities in the United
States. - There are more than 300,000 units of Section 202 affordable senior
housing available in the United States. - For each Section 202 affordable senior housing unit that is available,
there are ten eligible seniors on waiting lists for it. The average time an
eligible senior is on the waiting list is 13.4 months.
General Facts
AAHSA(American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
AAHSA(American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
What are the most common causes of nursing home falls?
- Muscle weakness and walking or gait problems are the most common
causes of falls among nursing home residents. These problems account
for about 24% of the falls in nursing homes (Rubenstein et al. 1994). - Hazards in the nursing home cause 16% to 27% of falls among residents
(Ejaz et al. 1994; Rubenstein et al. 1994). Such hazards include wet
floors, poor lighting, incorrect bed height, and improperly fitted or
maintained wheelchairs (Rubenstein et al. 1994; Ray et al. 1997). - Other causes of falls include difficulty in moving from one place to
another (for example, from the bed to a chair), poor foot care (Ray et al.
1997), poorly fitting shoes, and improper or incorrect use of walking
aids (Tinetti 1987). Not much has changed!
| What is TBI? |
Traumatic Brain
Injury
Traumatic Brain Injurys
contribute to a
substantial number of
deaths and cases of
permanent disability
annually.
CDC estimates that at
least 5.3 million
Americans, about 2%
of the U.S. population,
currently have a
long-term or lifelong
need for help to
perform activities of
daily living as a result
of a TBI.1
Adults age 75 years
or older have the
highest rates of
TBI-related
hospitalization and
death.
CDC.gov
Injury
Traumatic Brain Injurys
contribute to a
substantial number of
deaths and cases of
permanent disability
annually.
CDC estimates that at
least 5.3 million
Americans, about 2%
of the U.S. population,
currently have a
long-term or lifelong
need for help to
perform activities of
daily living as a result
of a TBI.1
Adults age 75 years
or older have the
highest rates of
TBI-related
hospitalization and
death.
CDC.gov
| Financial Impact of Falls |
Effects of a fall prevention program including exercise on mobility and falls in
frail older people living in residential care facilities.
frail older people living in residential care facilities.
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle,
WA 98104-2499, November 2005
Falls in the older adults are a major public health concern. The
growing population of adults 65 years or older, advances in medical
care and changes in the costs of care motivated our study of the
acute health care costs of fall-related injuries among the older
adults in the United States of America. DESIGN AND SETTINGS:
The Market Scan Medicare Supplemental database 1998 was used
to estimate reimbursed costs for hospital, emergency department
(ED), and outpatient clinic treatments for unintentional falls among
older adults. RESULTS: A fall on the same level due to slipping,
tripping, or stumbling was the most common mechanism of injury
(28%). Mean hospitalisation cost was 17,483 US dollars(S.D.:
22,426 US dollars) in 2004 US dollars. Femur fracture was the
most expensive type of injury (18,638 US dollars, S.D.: 19,990 US
dollars). The mean reimbursement cost of an ED visit was 236 US
dollars and 412 US dollars for an outpatient clinic visit.
CONCLUSION: The magnitude of the economic and social costs
of falls in older adults underscores the need for active research
in the field of falls prevention.
WA 98104-2499, November 2005
Falls in the older adults are a major public health concern. The
growing population of adults 65 years or older, advances in medical
care and changes in the costs of care motivated our study of the
acute health care costs of fall-related injuries among the older
adults in the United States of America. DESIGN AND SETTINGS:
The Market Scan Medicare Supplemental database 1998 was used
to estimate reimbursed costs for hospital, emergency department
(ED), and outpatient clinic treatments for unintentional falls among
older adults. RESULTS: A fall on the same level due to slipping,
tripping, or stumbling was the most common mechanism of injury
(28%). Mean hospitalisation cost was 17,483 US dollars(S.D.:
22,426 US dollars) in 2004 US dollars. Femur fracture was the
most expensive type of injury (18,638 US dollars, S.D.: 19,990 US
dollars). The mean reimbursement cost of an ED visit was 236 US
dollars and 412 US dollars for an outpatient clinic visit.
CONCLUSION: The magnitude of the economic and social costs
of falls in older adults underscores the need for active research
in the field of falls prevention.
| The Senior Fitness Movement |
