According to Karen Jones, the trauma and injury prevention coordinator for Iowa Health – Des Moines, of 4,001 patients that visited Iowa Methodist Medical Center for falling in 2010, 2,225 of them were older than 65, the Des Moines Register reports.
For a senior, a fall can mean a loss of independence, a serious injury and in some cases, death.
To combat this growing problem, Jones said that on Friday, National Falls Awareness Day, representatives from therapy groups in the area will be at the hospital to test seniors balance and their blood pressure. They'll also be giving out pamphlets on balance classes that a caregiver could bring a loved one to.
"When older people fall, a lot of times that leads them to a loss of their independence and mobility," Jones told the news outlet. "We want to be able to prevent that. We want them to be able to stay at home and have fun in their lives and not have to go to skilled care or assisted living."