EMS responded to more than 140,000 calls for people injured while falling last year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
That’s more than a fifth of all 911-related ambulance runs in 2024.
As the number of people injured and even killed by falls increase, health officials offer advice for preventing them.
As WXPR previously reported, Wisconsin has the highest fall death rate among older adults in the U.S., according to the CDC.
EMS most often responds to falls at home.
Improving lighting and reducing clutter in your home can go a long way in preventing falls.
Aspirus at Home Physical Therapist Teri Buedding says a lot of trips and falls she sees could have been prevented by people using their assistive devices, like walkers, canes, or not locking the brakes on wheelchairs.
“We can definitely use our assistive devices all the time. You get up to go to the bathroom, it's with you. You get up to go to bed, or you go to bed and it's sitting right beside the bed so it's ready for you when you need to get up in the middle of the night,” said Buedding
Weakness and balance issues are also a factor.
She says exercise programs, strength training, gait training, or physical therapy call all help with that.
“Falls prevention is very important because it is the number one reasons people end up leaving their home. We want to make sure that people are safe and independent so they can stay at home as long as they can,” said Buedding.
Aspirus offers at home services for physical therapy to fit a person’s lifestyle.
Budding also recommends ADRC and the Good News Project as resources for falls prevention.
Wisconsin EMS providers responded to nearly 10,000 more fall-related calls in 2024 compared to 2023.
Support for local health coverage on WXPR is brought to you in part by a grant from the Rhinelander Health Foundation.
