The Ministry of health is launching a “National Program to Prevent Falling” which is aimed at preventing seniors from falling. According to their stats, 1,000 seniors age 65 and up fall in Israel every day! It is estimated that over the past year 1 in 3 seniors in Israel took a fall. Almost 50% of all ambulance calls to seniors are in response to their falling. This is also the number 1 cause of senior’s visits to the emergency room. 50% of these falls cause injury and 20-30% of them are serious to critical including head and femur injuries.
A femur injury is one of the most serious injuries someone can sustain from falling. Statistics show that 50% of those seniors with a femur injury won’t recover full function and independence and 25% of those injured may die within the year.
The main reason for these falls and their consequences is osteoporosis, the bone losing calcium and becoming brittle and porous like a sponge in advanced age. The low bone density makes it harder to mend after a break.
The Ministry of health’s goal is to minimize falls and femur injuries by at least 10%. The campaign includes an internet campaign with information on how to prevent falls. The Israeli Kupat Cholim HMO’s will receive incentives for creating senior safety programs and taking surveys on the topic.
Dr. Vered Ezra, head of the ministry’s medical administration and project promoter says: “Preventing seniors from falling is one intervention that can prevent becoming handicapped or early death and affects the senior’s quality of life. Falling can be a sign of deterioration to a situation needing constant nursing and death.”