HJ0129 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois residents ages 65 and older account for 79% of all fall deaths and 37% of nonfatal fall hospitalizations in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Illinois residents ages 65 and older, accounting for 37% of TBI deaths and 56% of TBI hospitalizations; and

WHEREAS, Projected lifetime costs associated with fall injuries in 2014 among Illinois residents ages 65 and older are estimated to be $2.35 billion; and

WHEREAS, An estimated 475,000 of Illinois adults ages 65 and older reported having fallen, and of those whom have fallen, 40.5% reported a fall-related injury in the past 12 months; and

WHEREAS, Older Illinois adults who reported the following conditions were significantly more likely to report falls and fall-related injuries in the past 12 months: poor mental health/depression, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obesity, asthma, no exercise, stroke, and disability; and

WHEREAS, Older adults who reported a physical, cognitive and/or emotional disability had particularly high fall rates, with an estimated 252,000 reporting having fallen, and of those whom have fallen, 51.9% reporting fall-related injuries in the past 12 months; and

WHEREAS, Sensory and mobility loss commonly associated with aging make elderly pedestrians vulnerable to accidents and injury; pedestrian crashes resulting in death exceed 20% for pedestrians over age 75, compared to less than 8% for pedestrians under the age of 14; and

WHEREAS, Hospitals in Illinois reported a total of 61,140 emergency department (ED) admissions of adults 65 and older with repeat falls or a history of falls over 3.5 years (2013 through the second quarter of 2016), an average of 17,469 emergency department admissions annually; Cook County including the City of Chicago reported the highest number of fall-related ED admissions of older adults in Illinois: 27,994 over 3.5 years, an annual average of 7,998; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Department on Aging implemented a Critical Event policy requiring Care Coordination Unit (CCU) care coordinators and contracted service providers to report critical events involving older adults enrolled in the Community Care Program, serving an average monthly caseload of 62,000 older adults statewide; from July 12, 2017, through December 2017, critical event reports included: 1,220 falls resulting in injury, 1,553 falls without injury, 15% of ED visits had an associated fall (546 of 3,682), and 619 falls led to an unanticipated hospitalization; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Falls Prevention Coalition representing 150 members across the State, supports the delivery of evidence-based programs designed to reduce fall risk and enhance networking among individuals with an interest in fall prevention; the Coalition in partnership with White Crane Wellness Center in Chicago has produced a Resource Directory on Falls Prevention in Illinois, and the Coalition publishes a quarterly newsletter to disseminate information about falls prevention resources and activities; and

WHEREAS, The University of Illinois at Chicago faculty was awarded a $2.5 million, three-year grant entitled ENGAGE-IL (ENhancement of Geriatric Care for All through TraininG and Empowerment); the project was funded by the Health Resources and Services (HRSA) as part of its Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program; the products resulting from the project include a series of on-line, continuing education courses on topics relevant to primary care in geriatrics, including falls prevention; the educational and training materials developed through this project will be widely disseminated throughout Illinois, and nationally; and

WHEREAS, Rush University Medical Center in collaboration with the Illinois Community Health and Aging Collaborative, and Illinois Pathways to Health, administers a grant from the federal Administration for Community Living to disseminate A Matter of Balance, an evidence-based falls prevention program for older adults and adults with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Research has shown that older adults who have participated in A Matter of Balance have made significant improvements in their level of falls management (the degree of confidence participants perceive concerning their ability to manage the risk of falls and of actual falls), falls control (the degree to which participants perceive their ability to prevent falls), level of exercise, and social limitations with regard to concern about falling; and

WHEREAS, Rush University Medical Center and 28 host organizations across Illinois have engaged 60 Master Trainers and 120 Coaches, to conduct over 71 Matter of Balance Workshops, enrolling 784 older adults, and achieving a completion rate of 79%; Illinois seniors can find A Matter of Balance Workshop nearest them by contacting their Area Agency on Aging or visiting the Illinois Pathways to Health website at: www.ilpathwaystohealth.org; and

WHEREAS, For older adults to remain involved and connected in their communities, the built environment must encourage mobility and provide a range of options for people to get where they need and want to go, as well as for their friends, family, and caregivers to get to them; thoughtfully designed and well-maintained street infrastructure and transportation options provide residents of all ages with access to the services and amenities that make neighborhoods vibrant and residents healthier; and

WHEREAS, Communities can improve mobility by embracing complete streets policies, streets that accommodate all kinds of transportation and are suitable and safe for people of all ages and abilities; complete streets are an age-friendly solution to ensuring that residents of all ages have the opportunity to traverse their neighborhoods and age safely and comfortably; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we declare September 22, 2018 as Falls Prevention Awareness Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge older Illinoisans to take control of their health and prevent falls by following these steps: (1) improve balance, strength, and flexibility by finding a good balance and exercise program in their community, such as A Matter of Balance, (2) talk to their health care provider, ask for an assessment of their risk of falling, and share their history of recent falls, (3) regularly review their medications with their doctor or pharmacist, and take medications as prescribed, (4) get their vision and hearing checked annually and update their eyeglasses, (5) keep their home safe by removing tripping hazards, increase lighting, make stairs safe, and install grab bars in key areas, and (6) talk to their family members and enlist their support in taking simple steps to stay safe; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend the Illinois Falls Prevention Coalition, healthcare professionals, and community-based organizations for offering falls risk screenings, educational workshops to address concerns about falls, and exercise programs to enable older adults to improve their strength and balance; we further commend communities in Illinois for implementing complete streets policies to make the built environment suitable and safe for people of all ages and abilities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Falls Prevention Coalition as a symbol of our respect and esteem.