Fall Injuries May Be Deadly for Elderly
Posted by: Michael Neff
November 16, 2010
Topic: Trips, Slips and Falls
In a Johns Hopkins special report on osteoporosis, Dr. Michele F. Bellantoni, MD, points out the a hip fracture could be a life-threatening injury for older adults. Among individuals over the age of 50 who suffer a hip fracture, approximately 25 percent die within the first year after the injury! An additional 60 percent lose their ability to perform day-to-day activities like bathing and cooking. Fall injuries affect the victim's family, too. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that spouses of those hospitalized for hip fracture were 15 percent more likely to die within a year of the spouse's injury. Stress takes its toll on health.
Hip surgery after a fall injury often involves massive blood loss as well as alterations in electrolytes. Furthermore, many complications may arise as a result of immobility following surgery. Blood clots, for example, can be fatal if they form in the legs and move to the lungs. Anyone who experiences a hip fracture should schedule surgery as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours of the injury; this will reduce this risk of complications.
If you or a loved one suffers from a fall injury due to someone else's negligence, call Georgia Slip and Fall Attorney Michael Lawson Neff at 1-888-301-9298.
Topics
Child Abuse and Exploitation
Fires and Fire Safety
Medical Malpractice
Safety Tips
Traumatic Brain Injury
Trips, Slips and Falls
Recent Updates
November 23, 2010
Fall Prevention Intervention Reduces Falls in Hospitals
November 18, 2010
Increase in Fall Injuries Leads to More Disabilities for Older Individuals
November 16, 2010
Fall Injuries May Be Deadly for Elderly
November 04, 2010
Slips and Falls at Car Washes
October 22, 2010
Victim?s Attorney Michael Neff Secures $1.8 Million Verdict in Medical Malpractice Case
