Bill Text: IL HJR0129 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Declares September 22, 2018 as "Falls Prevention Awareness Day" in the State of Illinois. Urges older Illinoisans to take control of their health and prevent falls. Commends 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.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2019-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HJR0129 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HJR0129-Introduced.html

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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presented to the Illinois Falls Prevention Coalition as a
symbol of our respect and esteem.