Will you prevent a future fall - Created by www.healthfamiliesbc.ca. 

​Fall Facts:

• It is estimated that one in three seniors will have at least one fall each year. In 2006, this translated into approximately 1.4 million Canadian seniors. (4)
  
• In 2008-2009, 53.545 Canadian older adults were admitted to hospital becaudse of a fall and htese falls accounted for 85% of major injury hospitaliations among Canadian older adults. (1) (4)
  
• For all falls among seniors, half result in minor injuries while an estimated 5%-25% result in serious injuries including traumatic brain injuries and bone fractures. (4)
  
• The most common injuries due to falls were hip (38%) and other fractures (39%). (4)
  
• Falls cause more than 90% of all hip fractures in seniors and 20% die within a year of the fracture. (3)
  
• Over half (51%) of falls resulting in hospitalization (N=27,306) occurred in or around the home. (2)
  
• In 2008/2009 falls in residential institutions accounted for 18% (N=9,462) of hopsitalizations due to falls among those aged 65 and over in 2008/2009. (2)
  
• Nearly 30% of non-residential fallers were transferred to residential care after a fall-related hospitalization. (1)
  
• With the number of Canadians aged 65 year and older projected to increase from 4.6 million in 2008 to 9.8 million in 2036, this could mean that the number of fall-related hospitalizations could more than double from 53,545 to 114,074 within this time. (2)
  
• by 2031, it is projected that older adults will make up 24% of Canada's entire population and approximately $4.4 billion will be spent on direct health care costs for fall related injuries among older adult population. (5)
  
• with the average length of stay of 15.1 days, this could translate to a need for the equipvalent of thirteen additional 200-bed hospitals, where all the beds would be filled with older adults with fall-related injuries every day of the year. (2)

Fact references:

1. Prevention of Falls and Fall Injuries in the Older Adult
2. Falls & Related Injuries among Older Canadians: Fall-related Hospitalizations & Prevention Initiatives
3. Report on Senior's Falls in Canada. Public Health Agency of Canada, 2005
4. The Chief Public Health Officer's Report on the state of Public Health in Canada 2010 - Growing older - Adding life to years (chapter 3 & 4)
5. The Economic Burden of Injury in Canada, SmartRisk, 2009