According to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study reported in the Journal of Safety Research, in 2005 approximately 8,000 deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations among older American adults were caused by traumatic brain injuries produced by falls.

Dr. Ileana Arias, director of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, has made an observation upon the superficial way of considering falls: “Most people think older adults may only break their hip when they fall, but our research shows that traumatic brain injuries can also be a serious consequence.” She added in another statement that “these injuries can cause long-term problems and affect how someone thinks or functions.”

As people get older, the danger of falling grows due to a variety of aspects such as mobility difficulties produced by muscle weakness or poor balance, the decrease of sensation in feet, vision alterations, medication side effects or drug interactions, chronic health problems etc.

Dr. Ileana Arias revealed the fact that the elderly have access to CDC programs and information: “CDC has developed tips and suggestions for older adults, their caregivers, health care providers, and communities to help prevent falls.”

These tips contain pieces of advice such as reducing floor clutter and providing better lighting as well as regular exercise to maintain strength and balance.

Arias said that as more baby boomers reach retirement age, the number of traumatic brain injuries caused by falls will surely increase and will certainly become a significant problem for the health care system unless such injuries are prevented.

Each year, one in three Americans aged 65 or more experiences a fall and 30 percent of these falls require immediate medical treatment.