News (July 2006)

U.S. Representatives Hall And Pallone Introduce Fall Prevention Legislation

Representative Ralph M. Hall (R-4th TX)	Representative Frank Pallone (D-6th NJ)

Washington, D.C. – Representatives Ralph M. Hall (R-4th TX) and Frank Pallone (D-6th NJ) have introduced H.R. 5608 the Keeping Seniors Safe from Falls Act of 2006 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill addresses the growing public health problem of falls and fall-related injuries among older adults and focuses on preventing the 12,900 senior deaths and 1.8 million senior emergency room visits that occur each year.

The Falls Free Coalition Advocacy Workgroup, consisting of the National Council on the Aging (NCOA), the Home Safety Council (HSC) and the National Safety Council (NSC), commend Representatives Hall and Pallone for their leadership on such an important safety and health issue.

Rep. Hall is a passionate advocate who felt that federal legislation was needed to address this important public health issue. "As someone with first-hand experience of the short and long term damage that falls cause the elderly, I'm pleased to introduce this bill to develop strategies that will prevent and treat falls among older Americans," he said.

Rep. Pallone agrees. "Most people don't realize the significant impact elderly falls have on our society. In reality, these type of accidents are the leading cause of injury deaths among senior citizens and add billions to our nation's health care costs," he said. "The type of education on elderly falls provided through this bill will help inform family members, health professionals and others about how to reduce these avoidable and frequently disabling injuries."

H.R. 5608 will create a national public education and awareness campaign for older adults and their families, and provide for professional education for health care providers about how to prevent falls in their older adult patients. It will expand research and provide demonstration projects to develop better ways to prevent falls and to improve the treatment and rehabilitation of older falls victims. The legislation also requires an evaluation of the effect of falls on Medicare and Medicaid, to look at potentially reducing costs by expanding coverage to include fall-related services.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injury death among seniors and more than one-third of adults 65 years and older fall each year. Alarmingly those rates are increasing and among those who fall, 20 to 30 percent suffer moderate to severe injuries such as hip fractures and head traumas that reduce mobility and independence, and increase the risk of premature death.

Several safety and aging organizations including NCOA, HSC and NSC have been advocating for this legislation on behalf of the Falls Free Coalition, a group of more than 65 national organizations and state coalitions focused on reducing falls and fall-related injuries. The bill incorporates recommendations from Falls Free: Promoting a National Falls Prevention Action Plan, a comprehensive plan of 36 strategies that address the challenges and barriers related to a national falls prevention initiative. The national action plan was developed by Falls Free Coalition members and released in March 2005 at the American Society on Aging and NCOA annual conference.

Source: National Safety Council