Falls become a top killer of Chinese seniors

By Cai Wenjun | November 7, 2013, Thursday |

Online Edition

SLIPS and falls have become a top killer of older Chinese, the Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission said today.

Commission officials spoke ahead of an educational presentation at Huangxing Park tomorrow about ways to avoid such falls.

A total of 1,982 registered residents in the city died directly from falls last year and 85.3 percent of them were over 65 years old. That statistic, however, masks the true lethal nature of falls — breaking a hip or other serious injuries from falls often precipitate a health crisis that leads to an older person’s demise, officials said.

Last year, 68.2 percent of all seniors’ hospital visits for injuries was because of falls, according to the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s registry. For seniors admitted as inpatients due to injuries, 83.5 percent were because of falls.

In addition to death, falls can result in disability and cause a cascade of negative impacts to the elderly’s physical and psychological health, including a fear of falling again.

Falls are preventable and controllable, health authorities said. After trials in Changning District, Shanghai last year started to promote measures citywide to prevent falls by the elderly.

Communities are advised to do risk evaluations and renovations at people’s homes, stairs and community surroundings. Measures that can be taken include installing handrails along stairs and cleaning up the road after snow and rain.

The elderly and their children and other relatives were advised to be aware of risks since over half of such falls take place at home.

Nation

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Falls become a top killer of Chinese seniors

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