The Personal and Economic Impact of Falls in Florida: Promoting Prevention

Abstract

This paper describes the prevalence of falls in the United States, specifically in Florida, as well as the physical, financial, and emotional costs imposed on older Floridians after sustaining a fall. The accepted interventions for prevention are discussed with the goal of allowing health care providers to take a big-picture approach to addressing fall risk and to equip citizens to advocate for themselves to decrease their personal risk. Public Health can play a vital role in educating the public on potential risks and means to improve their health and safety in their home and community.