Falls are a serious threat to older adults' health. More than one in four people aged 65 and older falls each year, and over 3 million are treated in emergency departments annually for fall injuries. CDC's Injury Center built STEADI — Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries — for the health care providers who treat older adults at risk of falling, or who have already fallen.
Image from CDC's page on STEADI.
Three steps
STEADI puts into practice the fall-prevention clinical practice guideline of the American and British Geriatrics Societies:
| Step | What the provider does |
|---|---|
| Screen | Check patients for fall risk |
| Assess | Identify the risk factors that can be changed |
| Intervene | Use effective strategies to lower the risk |
Together, CDC says, these steps can substantially reduce falls, improve health and cut health care costs.
The STEADI logo and its core elements. Credit: CDC.
What it offers
- basic information about falls;
- screening options;
- information on medications linked to falls;
- standardized gait and balance tests;
- online training with continuing education credit;
- brochures on fall prevention written for patients and caregivers.
CDC also worked with early-adopting practices to write guidance on setting up and evaluating a STEADI-based fall prevention program, and shares some of their successes. Short videos cover STEADI for providers and for older adults, plus a home safety tour.
The aim is simple: to make fall prevention a routine part of care, so older patients can stay healthy and independent.
Sources
Based on "About STEADI," National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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