Personal Responsibility and Health Care Costs

Fall and Healthcare Costs

The intended audience of this post is my family and yours. Like me they are aging. They find watching a favorite TV show a better use of time than exercise or planning for something that may not happen. It's too cold, or its raining or the news is about to come on seems more important than doing some very simple things to increase their odds of a better quality of life. I watch my Dad who was a highly recruited basketball player and member of the Army special forces struggle to keep his balance yet to darn stubborn to slow down. My aunt is becoming dependent on her personal shopping cart called a walker.

Mom, Dad and Family the information below is nothing new. I used public information from the CDC and a University of Missouri.study.

Were you aware that one out of every three adults age 65 and older fall each year. It's the leading cause of injury death for this age group.

Twenty to thirty percent of people who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries such as lacerations, hip fractures, or head traumas. These injuries can make it hard to get around or live independently, and increase the risk of early death.

Many people who fall, even if they are not injured, develop a fear of falling. This fear may cause them to limit their activities, which leads to reduced mobility and loss of physical fitness, and in turn increases their actual risk of a fall related injury or death.

Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. In 2000, traumatic brain injuries accounted for 46% of fatal falls among older adults.

Over 95% of hip fractures among older adults are caused by falls.

Mom your fall resulted in hip surgery, inpatient and out-patient therapy a reduced quality of life and increased dependency on family, not to mention the financial burden.

In 2010, 2.3 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in the emergency room and more than 662,000 of these were hospitalized.

In 2010 the direct medical costs of falls, adjusted for inflation was $30,000,000,000.

By 2020 the direct and indirect costs of fall injuries is expected to reach $54,900,000,000.

Fortunately, falls are largely preventable.

Mom and Dad think of it this way. By changing your lifestyle slightly you can maintain your independence, quality of life and help save medicare dollars for your grand children.

This is what it takes.

1. Exercise regularly. It is important that the exercises focus on increasing leg strength and improving balance, and that they get more challenging over time. Tai Chi programs are especially good.

2. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to review your medicines—both prescription and over-the counter—to identify medicines that may cause side effects or interactions such as dizziness or drowsiness.

3. Have your eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year and update your eyeglasses to maximize their vision. Consider getting a pair with single vision distance lenses for some activities such as walking outside.
4. Make your home safer by reducing tripping hazards, adding grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower and next to the toilet, adding railings on both sides of stairways and improving the lighting.

What do you think? Thanks for reading this and I  hope you understand why I keep bugging you,

Rick D Watkins

How are you treating life?

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