You've probably noticed, as you've gotten older, that it's a whole lot easier to get hurt than it was when you were a spry young 20-something. But what do you think is the number one cause of injury and injury-related death among older adults? Sprains? Infections? Car accidents? 

Nope. It's actually something a whole lot easier to overlook than any of that: falling. Over 25% of adults over 65 experience a fall each year -- that means if you have three friends your age, statistically speaking, one of you is going to fall this year. Of course we always hope these little accidents won't be too serious, but the fact is that one in every five falls causes a serious injury like a broken bone, hip fracture, or head injury. 

An older adult goes to the emergency room for a fall every 11 seconds, and there are over 800,000 fall-related hospitalizations per year. Falls are also the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. And falls can result not just in serious injury, but even death. An older adult dies as the result of a fall every 19 minutes, and that rate is only increasing -- according to the CDC, fall death rates among adults 65 or older went up by 30% between 2009 and 2018. Even when they aren't fatal, many of the injuries associated with falling can result in needing to be interred in a long-term care facility. In fact, bone fractures and other fall-related injuries are the number one reason people need to go into long-term care, according to the National Association of Health Data. So if you want to continue leading an independent life, protecting yourself against falls is one of the most important things you can do.

So, how to protect yourself against this insidious and omnipresent risk? You can ask a neighbor to salt your sidewalks when it's icy. Avoiding misplaced banana peels is a good idea. But believe it or not, a full 80% of falls happen in the bathroom, usually when getting in and out of the tub or on and off of the toilet. For seniors living in full time care facilities, there are attendants on-call and built-in bathroom modifications that can help mitigate these risks. But those of us who want to retain a little more independence, still living at our own homes or in Independent Living Facilities, don't usually have access to this kind of technology and assistance. That's where Dignity Lifts comes in. Dignity Lifts are unobtrusive, easy to use, and help ensure your safety and security while using the toilet without needing outside assistance.

The best-selling model at Dignity Lifts, our Deluxe Toilet Lift, is $1,499; and our lower cost Basic Toilet Lift is only $799. If those seem like some expensive pieces of hardware, take a moment to consider the alternative that they prevent, and we think you'll find they're well worth the safety and peace of mind they provide. The average cost of treating a fall-related injury is $30,000. You could buy 20 of our Deluxe Lifts with that much money. And even if you have Medicare or a good insurance policy, you could still be on the hook for a hefty sum -- of the $50 billion spent nationwide each year on non-fatal fall-related medical costs, $12 billion of that is paid privately or out-of-pocket. And that's only counting the direct costs (things like hospital fees and prescription costs) -- it doesn't even take into account the indirect and long-term costs of fall injuries like disability, loss of work, or increased dependence on others.

Even if you consider yourself an exceptionally well-coordinated individual, the statistics show that a serious fall can happen to anyone, especially once you reach your golden years. A single fall could cost you your independence, tens of thousands of dollars, or even your life. It just isn't worth the risk. If you want to be a lot safer in the highest fall risk zone while retaining your independence, Dignity Lifts are the affordable and effective solution you're looking for.

Summary:

• More than 1 in 4 seniors will experience a fall this year.
• 80% of falls happen in the bathroom.
• Falls not only cause injuries and deaths, but they often result in lost independence.
• Falls can be expensive, even with Medicare coverage. 

You can learn more about Dignity Lifts at https://DignityLifts.com 

You can also call the company at 1-248-457-6876

Tom Nardone, President is available for conversations: Tom@PriveCo.com.

Sources Cited:

https://aging.com/falls-fact-sheet/

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/data/fallcost.html

https://www.ltctree.com/reasons-people-need-long-term-care/