[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 276 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 276

    Designating September 22, 2009, as ``National Falls Prevention 
                            Awareness Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 21, 2009

Mr. Kohl (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Casey, Mr. Sanders, 
    and Mrs. Murray) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Designating September 22, 2009, as ``National Falls Prevention 
                            Awareness Day''.

Whereas older adults age 65 and over are the fastest growing segment of our 
        population and whose numbers will increase from 35,000,000 in 2000 to 
        55,000,000 in 2020;
Whereas 1 in every 3 people in the United States who are 65 years of age or 
        older falls each year;
Whereas falls are the leading cause of injury, deaths, and hospital admissions 
        for traumatic injuries among adults 65 years of age and older;
Whereas, in 2007, approximately 1,900,000 people with fall-related injuries were 
        treated in hospital emergency departments and approximately 492,000 were 
        hospitalized after treatment;
Whereas, in 2006, more 16,600 people aged 65 and older died from injuries 
        related to unintentional falls;
Whereas, in 2000, direct medical costs for fall-related injuries for adults aged 
        65 and older totaled more than $19,000,000,000;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that if the rate 
        of increase in falls is not slowed, annual direct treatment costs under 
        the Medicare program will reach $32,400,000,000 by 2020;
Whereas evidence-based programs show promise in reducing falls and facilitating 
        cost-effective interventions, such as comprehensive clinical 
        assessments, exercise programs to improve balance and health, management 
        of medications, correction of vision, and reduction of home hazards;
Whereas research indicates that fall prevention programs for high-risk older 
        adults have a net-cost savings of almost $9 in benefits to society for 
        each $1 invested;
Whereas the Safety of Seniors Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-202) was enacted to 
        amend the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b et seq.) to create a 
        national education campaign aimed at older adults, their families, and 
        healthcare providers, and injury prevention programs that focus on the 
        reduction and prevention of falls among older adults; and
Whereas the Falls Free Coalition Advocacy Work Group and its numerous national 
        and State supporting organizations should be commended for their efforts 
        to raise awareness and to promote better understanding, research, and 
        programs to prevent falls among older adults: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates September 22, 2009, as ``National Falls 
        Prevention Awareness Day'';
            (2) commends the Falls Free Coalition Advocacy Work Group 
        and the 22 State falls coalitions for their efforts to work 
        together to increase education and awareness about the 
        prevention of falls among older adults;
            (3) encourages businesses, individuals, Federal, State, and 
        local governments, the public health community, and health care 
        providers to work together to promote the awareness of falls in 
        an effort to reduce the incidence of falls among older people 
        in the United States;
            (4) urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to 
        continue developing and evaluating interventions to prevent 
        falls among older adults that can be used in effective 
        community-based fall prevention programs;
            (5) encourages State health departments to use their 
        significant leadership to reduce injuries and injury-related 
        health care costs by collaborating with colleagues and a 
        variety of organizations and individuals to reduce falls among 
        older adults; and
            (6) recognizes proven, cost effective fall prevention 
        programs and policies and encourages experts in the field of 
        fall prevention to share their best practices so that their 
        success can be replicated by others.
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