Georgia Injury Law Blog
Follow up care is not just important, but also critical after a senior suffers injuries in a slip and fall accident, and yet, new studies find that far too many seniors receive no such after – fall care, resulting in serious consequences.
The new studies find that as many as 59% of seniors receive no follow – up care after they have suffered personal injuries in a slip and fall accident. This is in spite of the fact that it is well- established that follow up – care after a fall can help seniors not just recover quickly, but also learn how to avoid falls in the future. It is also in spite of the fact that slip and fall accidents are a serious health concern for American seniors. For example, one in four seniors above the age of 65 is expected to suffer a slip and fall accident, sending 8 million persons to hospital emergency rooms. Even more worrying is the fact that 27,000 seniors suffer fatal personal injuries in slip and fall accidents, while these accidents also contribute to 800,000 personal injuries every year. In spite of all these facts, many seniors do not return to the emergency room for follow – up visits after suffering head trauma in a fall.
The researchers focused on a group of 1,500 seniors who had suffered injuries in slip and fall accidents, and found that many of them had not returned to their primary care physician for a follow up in the weeks after the slip and fall accident. When seniors did visit a doctor for a follow-up, they were recommended physical therapy as a way to avoid future falls. Physical therapy can help improve balance, gait, coordination and address other physical aspects of aging that can increase a senior’s risk of suffering a slip and fall accident.