One of Phoenix’s major hospitals is seeing an uptick in falls among older adults. This comes at a time when a program to help prevent falls in older adults is at risk of elimination under the Trump administration.
Proposed cuts to the Administration for Community Living could eliminate the elder falls prevention program in Maricopa County, which would impact around 1,000 seniors.
At the same time, "we have seen an increase in falls every single year for the past few years," said Melissa Luxton, a nurse at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix.
And this year is no different.
Luxton said snowbirds account for many of the falls. But Phoenix is also home to an aging population. In addition to more falls, "the injuries are also just getting worse," she said.
Luxton said the top two injuries they see in the 65-plus population are hip fractures and head bleeds.
And there's another hurdle.
"There’s a big stigma around falling down. And so we have people that just, they don't want to tell anybody," she said. "So, you've got to let somebody know, don't be embarrassed, it does happen."
Falls can also be physically and financially catastrophic.
"Now they have this head injury. And post that injury, they don't go back to their independent living lifestyle, they now need assisted living," Luxton said.
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