Wisconsin Has the Highest Death Rate Due to Falls Among Older Adults

Wednesday, December 13th, 2023 -- 9:01 AM

(Elizabeth Dohms-Harter, Wisconsin Public Radio) Wisconsin has the highest death rate due to falls among older adults countrywide.

According to Elizabeth Dohms-Harter with Wisconsin Public Radio, there's not a definitive reason why that is, said Kris Krasnowski, executive director at the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging.

There is some speculation that the state's rate is so high because:

• Wisconsin may report death-related falls more robustly than other states;
• Wisconsin consumes high amounts of alcohol, which can affect the seriousness of a fall;
• Cold weather brings icy conditions and more people could have catastrophic falls from slipping on ice.

More time is spent indoors because of the cold weather, and data shows most falls happen in the home. That increases the likelihood of one of those falls being catastrophic. Across the nation, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults aged 65 and older, and the fall rate is increasing, Krasnowski told WPR's "The Larry Meiller Show."

People fall for a variety of reasons because of external factors such as the weather or because of body changes like arthritis, neuropathy and vision loss, for just a few examples.

Dr. Gerald Pankratz, an associate professor and geriatrician at UW Health, said the most common injuries from falls are innocuous and might include a few bruises or cuts.

"On the more serious side, we're definitely concerned about fractures of the big bones, the hip, most predominantly, there's a marked increased risk in mortality and institutionalization in the months after having a hip fracture," he said on "The Larry Meiller Show."

In addition to dealing with the physical injuries from the fall, patients might lose self-confidence in their abilities to move independently. That could prove to be more damaging in the long run.

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