Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today as the chairman of the Senate Aging Committee to speak about the bipartisan resolution I have introduced with Senator McCaskill designating September 22, 2016--the first day of the fall season--as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. The purpose of this designation is to better educate seniors, families, and caregivers--as well as government and civic organizations--about the practices, programs, and policies that can be taken to reduce the risk of falls. Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults. Older adults are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, and the number is projected to increase from 46.2 million in 2014 to 82.3 million in 2040. As more Americans age, falls will become even more numerous and costly than they are now. In 2014, approximately 2.8 million older Americans were treated in emergency rooms after falling, and more than 800,000 were subsequently hospitalized. Tragically, more than 27,000 of them died as a result of their injuries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts these staggering statistics in a context that really brings the problem home: one out of every three seniors falls each year; every 13 seconds, a senior is treated in an emergency room for a fall; every 20 seconds, a senior dies from a fall. In addition to the human toll, these falls generate enormous economic costs.…”