Osteoporosis, Falls, and Broken Bones
Debunking the Myths of Older Adult Falls
(The New York Times) The rate of deaths after falls in people over 75 has more than doubled between since 2000, according to the New York Times. Citing a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association, “in 2016, the rate of death from falls for people 75 and older was 111 per 100,000 people,” up from just 52 in 2000.
Considering that people are generally living longer, healthier lives, this trend is startling to say the least. But it may very well be the fact that we’re living longer that’s causing this uptick.
According to Dr. Elizabeth Eckstrom, a geriatrician at Oregon Health and Science University who was quoted in the article, “The biggest risk factor for falls that can’t be changed is your age.”
Despite these numbers, falls are not inevitable. Things like regular exercise, evaluating medications or seeing a fall risk expert can help prevent falls from occurring.