Injury related to falls by older people is a major public health issue.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, it is, “the leading cause of disability, declining quality of life and death in older persons. In as many as 1000 people (aged 65 years and older) die each year from accidental falls in Australia.”

cura¹ is devoted to manufacturing and supplying fall prevention products that will help staff and caregivers  make inroads in the effort to reduce these numbers.

However, the statistics reveal there is a long way to go with more than 45,000 hospitalisations due to fall related injuries in one year alone (1998), racking up a health services bill of AU $804 million.

The Institute’s bleak outlook is that, “the expected change in demographics and trend in fall injury profiles will continue to increase the demand for services and double health costs due to falls.”

- Michael Burton (source: http://www.fallsprevention.org.au )