Fall Injuries in Seniors Rising, Outcomes May Be Slightly Better

A study published in the American Journal of Surgery found although a growing number of people in their 90s are experiencing falls, they may be faring slightly better than previously, reports Reuters . The researchers examined people older than 90 hospitalized at single trauma center after falls, and estimated a 100 percent increase in their numbers over two decades. Death rates in the hospital held steady while length of hospital stay decreased by about a day, which could indicate better care. Previous research has found that about 30 percent of people over age 65 and half of individuals 90 and older fall each year, and in 2010 more than 40 million people in the U.S. were over age 65 and 2.2 million were in their 90s. Out of 1,697 people, nearly all had suffered blunt trauma from falls. In the first decade, the most frequent injuries were to the arms and spine, and in the second the most common injuries were to lower extremities as well as rib and pelvic fractures. In-hospital death rates were 5.6 percent in the first decade and 4.2 percent in the second, but that difference was too insignificant to exclude the possibility it could be due to chance. In spite of serious injuries, most subjects were eventually released from the hospital, which could be because more physical therapists, social workers, and ancillary staff are helping them.