Fall Prevention
In the United States1, falls among those ages 65+ years is the leading cause of non-fatal injuries. In the past year, over 58,000 Georgians over the age of 65 visited the ER for a fall related injury. Also, over the past five years, more than 2,000 people ages 65+ years have died as a result of falls related injuries2. A fall for someone in this age group can have major consequences such as, a loss of independence, serious fractures, or unfortunately loss of life3.
In 2018, alone, over 40,000 children ages 0-14 visited the ER for a falls related injury in Georgia. Falls among children, typically occur during normal activities in the home, at playgrounds, or while playing recreational sports4.
Two populations are most vulnerable for injuries related to falling, older adults and children. In Georgia, falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries for children and older adults2.
Join Us
Fall Prevention Task Force
The IPRCE Fall Prevention Task Force strives to reduce the burden of fall related injuries by promoting the issue, engaging partners and leaders, and identifying solutions, including policy change and effective interventions.
Task Force Impact
Members of the IPRCE Fall Prevention Task Force worked together to create the Falls Prevention Day Toolkit. A resource guide with strategies and tips to coordinate a falls prevention event for older adults.
Elizabeth Head, MPH - Deputy Director, Department of Injury Prevention
Sharon Nieb, PhD, MSW - IPRCE Program Director
| Name | Role | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Maneesha Agarwal | Assistant Professor | Emory School of Medicine |
| Rana Bayakly | Chief Epidemiologist | Georgia Department of Public Health |
| Allison Bernal | Livable Communities Manager, Division of Aging Services | Georgia Department of Human Services |
| Sofia Chaudhary | Assistant Professor | Emory School of Medicine |
| Allison Christou | Trauma Coordinator | Wellstar |
| Julie Gilchrist | Captain | US Public Health Service |
| Katrina Annette Gipson | Emergency Medicine Doctor | Grady |
| Kay Graham | Assistant Professor | Brenau University |
| Madeleine Hackney | Assistant Professor | Emory School of Medicine |
| Emma Harrington | Director of Injury Prevention | Shepherd Center |
| Mahwish Javed | Program Coordinator | Safe Kids Georgia |
| Gwenyth Johnson | Livable Communities Section Manager, Division of Aging Services | Georgia Department of Human Services |
| Khurram Khan | Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine | Emory Healthcare |
| Elizabeth Mays | Program Coordinator | Grady |
| Susanne Pickering | Consultant | Healthy Picks |
| Stephen Pitts | Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine | Georgia Department of Public Health |
| Matthew Smith | Associate Professor | Texas A&M Health Science Center |
| Megan Stadnisky | Aging Services Coordinator | Division of Aging Services |
| Leslie Taylor | Associate Dean | Mercer University |
| Steven Wolf | Professor | Emory School of Medicine |
Related Resources
References
- 10 Leading Causes of Nonfatal Unintentional Emergency Department Visits, United States, 2018, All Races, Both Sexes, Disposition: Hospitalized. WISQARS
- Smith ML, Chaudhary S, Nieb S, Bayakly R, Graham K, and Head E (2016) Commentary: Building the Older Adult Fall Prevention Movement – Steps and Lessons Learned. Front. Publich Health 4:277. Doi: 103389/fpubh.2016.00277
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Preventing Falls: A Guide to Implementing Effective Community-based Fall Prevention Programs. 2nd ed. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015.
- Protect the Ones You Love: Child Injuries are Preventable