(MADISON, WI) A new report from the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging (WIHA), convener of the Falls Free® Wisconsin Coalition, the goal of which is to reduce falls among older adults, brings to light the impact that alcohol has on the risk of falls as we age. The report, Understanding Alcohol-Related Older Adult Falls in Wisconsin, shows that rates and costs of alcohol-related falls are increasing in Wisconsin and includes:
• Information on the health impacts of alcohol
• Statewide alcohol-related falls data
• Cost of alcohol-related falls
• Alcohol-related older adult falls data by county
• Resources for professionals and consumers
• Methods and limitations of the data
There are many resources available for older adults, and people of all ages, to reduce their alcohol use. Maureen Busalacchi, Director of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project (WisAPP), shares that “it’s important for families and communities to talk with older folks about their drinking because alcohol impacts us differently as we age. It’s also important to think about what we do as a community to send a signal that we don’t want to encourage people to over-consume alcohol.” Many people may not know how much they are drinking, what the recommended limits are, how alcohol interacts with other medications or chronic diseases, the health impacts, and how that changes as we age. This report aims to address these items and help us better understand the risk factors of falls so we can work to prevent them.
Dr. Ben Weston, associate professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin and chief health policy advisor for Milwaukee County, expands on this, stating: “Alcohol is prevalent in a substantial number of fall related injuries among older adults, and it increases the risk of falls in this population by 18%. Falls involving alcohol can also result in more severe injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), and can lead to more expensive treatment-related costs.”
More than one in four older adults will have a fall each year. While there are many causes of falls in addition to alcohol use, research shows that alcohol consumption rose during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need to focus on this topic. The report shares resources to educate older adults about how alcohol affects us differently as we age, resources for alcohol-use and falls risk screening, and access to evidence-based and evidence-informed falls prevention programs that are available throughout the state.
The Falls Free Wisconsin website – FallsFreeWI.org– has tools for older adults and their families or
caregivers, and everyone in between, to learn more about fall risk factors, like alcohol, and get practical information and resources to reduce their risk. Falls may common but they don’t have to be a normal part of aging! There are things people and organizations can do, like limiting or abstaining from alcohol, screening, and prevention programming to reduce the risk of life-changing injuries or deadly falls. View the Understanding Alcohol-Related Older Adult Falls in Wisconsin report here: https://fallsfreewi.org/for-professionals/data/alcohol-and-falls/.