Senator Kahn’s statement is as follows:
This resolution is to recognize September 23, 2010, as National Falls Awareness Day in our state. Falls are not a topic that comes up with a great deal of central-mind awareness. It is an important subject because they are the leading cause of injury, deaths, and hospital admissions for traumatic injuries among adults 65 years of age and older.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that if the rate of increase in falls is not slowed, annual direct treatment costs under the Medicare program will reach $32.4 billion by 2020. Evidence-based programs show promise in reducing falls and facilitating cost-effective interventions, such as comprehensive clinical assessments, exercise programs to improve balance and health, management of medications, correction of vision, and reduction of home hazards.
The federal Safety of Seniors Act was enacted to amend the Public Health Service Act to create a national education campaign aimed at older adults, their families, health care providers, and injury prevention programs that focus on the reduction and prevention of falls among older adults. The Falls Free Coalition Advocacy Work Group and its numerous national and state supporting organizations should be commended for their efforts to raise awareness and to promote better understanding, research, and programs to prevent falls among older adults.
This resolution will recognize September 23, 2010, as National Falls Awareness Day in the state of Michigan. We encourage businesses, individuals, federal, state, and local governments, the public health community, and health care providers to work together to promote the awareness of falls in an effort to reduce the incidence of falls among older people in the United States.
I urge the adoption of this resolution.