We love to toss out statistics but rarely do we take a deeper look at the impact of that statistic on the individual. For example, we know that falls cost United States hospitals $34 billion dollars in direct medical costs. What we don’t talk about is that a fall changes the life of that person who fell. Once they fall, they often fall again and then the cycle is recurring. Falls often lead to fear which limits an individual’s activity and engagement in activities they love and may lead to isolation and depression. A fall may ultimately lead to nursing home placement and possibly death. So this statistic may alarm our healthcare system but my concern is how can we help these at risk individuals? We must understand that it requires a multidisciplinary approach to be successful and it often requires behavior change on the behalf of the individual. All the various risk factors need to be addressed and presented to the individual so they can make appropriate decisions. We can’t simply tell them what to do because they have every right to make their own decisions. I don’t like to be told what to do and I doubt that as age that will change!! And in the end we can’t prevent the fall, we can only manage the risks and provide them a safety net, such as the Numera Libris to help when their personal safety is at risk.

April Witters / Numera from Nortek