Brain Injury Awareness Week begins 16 August
Falls – not motor vehicle accidents, not assaults – are now the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Australia, accounting for more than 2 in every 5 hospital admissions.
It’s due to the ageing of our population. Every year, thousands of older Australians suffer a TBI from a fall. Many will die. Some will survive but with profound and permanent disability.
Yet head injuries in older people are often overlooked, according to Brain Injury Australia .
“Australia is heading for a ‘perfect storm’,” says Nick Rushworth, the executive officer of Brain Injury Australia.
“People are living longer. They’re being urged to be more active into older ages. This places them at greater risk of a TBI from a fall. And improvements in trauma care mean they are more likely to survive but with a greater level of disability.”
By 2050 the total healthcare costs due to falls in older Australians are expected to almost triple – to $1.3 billion per year – requiring an additional 900,000 hospital bed days and over 3,000 extra nursing home places.
Yet TBI, like other injuries from falls, is preventable. Moderate exercise to improve strength and balance, regular reviews of medication and eye checks, improving lighting and reducing hazards around the home have all been demonstrated to reduce the incidence of falls.
Visit http://www.braininjuryaustralia.org.au for more information.
