[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 21, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H8016]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     FALL PREVENTION AWARENESS WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Lois Frankel) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, about a year ago, it was 4 
a.m. in the morning when I got a call from the West Palm Beach 
paramedics. They had received a call from my mother's Apple watch--
believe it or not--and they rushed to her apartment, and they found her 
lying on her apartment floor. She had fallen and broken her hip.
  I stayed close as she suffered through surgery and hospitalization 
and rehabilitation. I counted the endless medical bills paid by 
Medicare and her own personal funds. I watched as my independent mom 
became fearful of living alone and moved into an assisted living 
facility.
  Mr. Speaker, I will say, there is some very good news about my mom, 
she is alive and well and adapting to her new lifestyle. She uses a 
walker and aging has reduced her stamina, but her bridge partners will 
tell you she still has a very sharp mind.
  Listen to this. Her surgeon told me her recovery at her age, which 
was 96 at the time of the fall, was an exception, that most her age, 
after a brutal injury, quickly sundown to death.
  Mr. Speaker, you may ask why am I telling this story? Because 
tomorrow is the first day of fall, and not only are the leaves turning, 
but it marks the start of Fall Prevention Awareness Week, a nationwide 
effort to raise awareness that falls are preventable, and also, to 
bring awareness to fall prevention strategies and resources.
  Mr. Speaker, after my mom fell, I started hearing story after story 
from friends and colleagues about their own personal experiences of 
people who had fallen, and you know what I learned? Falls are the most 
frequent cause of injuries and injury-related death among people over 
65.
  There are 36 million falls a year in people over 65 here in America, 
leading to broken bones and broken spirits, and 34,000 of those 
becoming deadly. The cost--this is an amazing figure--the cost to the 
American health system is $50 billion a year from injuries related to 
falls. That is billion with a b.
  Here is the most important message I have today: Falls are 
preventable. I am going to say it again: Falls are preventable. There 
are simple things that seniors can do with assistance from their 
doctors and their family and their friends and caretakers to stop the 
falls before they happen.
  Here are some of the top tips from Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. Make sure that medications don't have side effects that can 
cause dizziness or loss of balance, stay hydrated, get eyes checked 
every year. And because most falls happen in the home, make critical 
changes like installing grab bars, clearing tripping hazards, and make 
sure that the rugs are flat on the floor. If necessary, use mobility 
aids like walkers and canes, when needed, even in your own home.
  There are also simple exercises that seniors can do to improve joint 
strength, especially in the ankles, to help improve balance and 
stability.
  I am pleased to say, Mr. Speaker, that the House Labor, Health, and 
Human Services' budget plusses up fall prevention research and programs 
in the 2023 budget. I am hoping that the Senate will go along with 
that.
  Mr. Speaker, I call on all my colleagues to recognize this week as 
Fall Prevention Awareness Week and help me spread the word: Falls are 
preventable. It is on all of us to keep our loved ones on their feet.

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