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CGWEP Dissemination Leader, Ellen Schneider was a featured speaker at the LewisGale and Carilion sponsored fall prevention conference at the Holiday Inn on Ordway Drive in Roanoke. A link to local news coverage of the event is found here.

In the United States, approximately 2.5 million older adults are treated annually in emergency departments for fall injuries, making falls a leading cause of injury for those 65 and older.

Medical professionals from across the region attended the conference to learn about prevention and ways to help patients break their falls.

Experts say with an aging population, the problem is getting worse.

“Everyday ten thousand people turn 65 in our country and so with that, it’s wonderful that there’s extended life but also it does bring challenges and one of those challenges is falls,” said research scientist, Ellen Caylor Schneider.

Patients are also advised to discuss with their doctors any medications that may cause them to lose coordination.