The High Cost of Falling When You Are Over 65 Years Old

As we navigate the winding road of life, there comes a point when we find ourselves less physically capable than when young, a phase that many affectionately call “the golden years.” While these years can be filled with well-deserved leisure and reflection, they also present us with a hard question that deserves our utmost attention: What’s the cost of a fall when you’re over 65 years old?

Reaching the later stages of one’s life can be challenging both physically and emotionally. This is well known by anyone with an aging loved one in their life, even better known by elderly individuals themselves. The hardships of managing an aging body can have a profound impact on one’s quality of life, and their ability to live with both independence and dignity. In a society that celebrates youth and vitality, the harsh reality of aging and its consequences can be a topic we’d rather avoid. In this article, we will approach this issue head-on, to build an understanding of the financial toll a simple slip and fall can have for seniors, as well as provide solutions to help mitigate and prevent falls before they occur so that you and/or your senior loved ones can age in place, rather than a nursing home.

The Facts

The National Council on Aging’s article on fall prevention cites that one in four Americans 65+ suffer from a fall every year. The US Census Bureau reports that in 2020, 56 million Americans are 65 or older, meaning there are more American seniors than ever before. This means that of those 56 million affected by the realities of aging, roughly 14 million stand to suffer fall-related injuries per year. This figure becomes all the more tragic when considering that even a simple injury such as a sprain can initiate a sequence of medical events that require hospitalization.

Those raw figures may be difficult to contextualize–it’s hard enough to imagine 14 million of anything, let alone people–so let’s break this down further. In 2021, the CDC reported among the American 65+ population, there were 984,188 hospitalizations with nonfatal outcomes related to unintentional falls, costing a total of $52.03 billion.

This jaw-dropping amount is roughly equal to the entire GDP of Ukraine, and for that amount, one could purchase over 9 billion Big Macs or about 29,000 McDonald’s franchises. The CDC also reports that the bill for a senior citizen’s slip and fall hospitalization is, on average, $52,866. And that’s just for hospitalizations. When considering lost wages and quality of life loss, the combined figure becomes even more unwieldy, totaling $262.54 billion (more than twice the net worth of Warren Buffet), which averages $266,761 per person. Of course, these figures only account for nonfatal slip and fall accidents, as any dollar amount pales in comparison to the ultimate price, that being one’s life.

Because they are at an incline, stairs, and ramps are among the most dangerous areas for seniors when it comes to falling. Coupled with outdoor slip and fall hazards like rain, ice, and debris, outdoor ramps and stairs can be exceptionally dangerous for seniors. To mitigate this, the application of slip and fall prevention solutions is crucial. 

HandiTreads: The Solution to Dangerous Slip-and-Falls

Now that we’ve established the alarming statistics surrounding falls among senior citizens, it’s evident that this is a matter that deserves our immediate attention. With millions of our older loved ones at risk and the staggering financial burden these accidents impose on our healthcare system, it’s crucial to explore effective solutions for fall prevention.

Non-slip measures play a pivotal role in mitigating the risks of slippery steps, which are one of the primary culprits in fall-related injuries. There’s no denying that prevention is key, and the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” couldn’t be more relevant. This is where innovative products like HandiTreads come to the rescue, providing a lifeline for aging individuals who wish to age in place without compromising their safety.