As this well-studied article from ADVANCE for Long-Term Care Management shows, falling causes terrible injuries and is often fatal for the elderly. And this happens increasingly. Jeffrey D. Heskin, PT, writes that falls with the elderly population causes a health care crisis and should be addressed appropriately and promptly. He advocates that physical therapy is one important source to do this.

From the ADVANCE for Long-Term Care Management article by Jeffrey D. Heskin:

Falls cost the elderly their health, their functional independence and potentially their lives. Falls by the aged cost society millions of dollars per year, and a problem this costly and widespread requires a solution of some magnitude.

A solution such as this can be addressed through public policy, legislation and public health systems. Implementing this solution requires action on the part of both individuals and organized groups. Specifically, addressing falls requires health care workers to intervene directly in the lives of the aged, and groups such as the APTA to push for legislative change to create public awareness of the problem.

Click here to read the full article.