Wisconsin Still Has Nation's Highest Rate of Deadly Falls Among Older Adults

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Wisconsin continues to have the highest rate of fatal falls among older adults in the United States. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientist Elizabeth Burns said the death rate from falls among people 65 and older climbed 19.1 percent in the state from 2016 to 2019, when it was the highest in the country each year, versus a 7.6 percent increase nationally. During the four-year period, when Wisconsin's rate grew to 2.6 times the national average, 5,968 seniors in the state died from falls, including 1,675 last year. By comparison, the American Cancer Society said there were an estimated 740 deaths from breast cancer and 620 deaths from prostate cancer among all ages in 2019. "We need some leadership and some coordination to give this problem the focus it needs," said Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging Executive Director Betsy Abramson. Possible factors why Wisconsin leads the nation for fall deaths among seniors include icy winters, excessive drinking, the populace being older and whiter than the national average, and state officials potentially reporting falls as cause of death more than in other states. Abramson said the Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network is seeking $1 million a year for falls prevention in the biennial budget this year.