A message from Ministers Dosanjh and Bennett

National Seniors' Safety Week
November 6-12, 2004

November 6-12, 2004 marks the Canada Safety Council's annual National Seniors' Safety Week. This year's theme for National Seniors' Safety Week, "Prevention of Falls on Stairs", is an especially important one for seniors. Seniors are more at risk for falling on stairs than younger adults and are more likely to suffer severe injury as a result of a fall. Changes that are part of the normal aging process, such as declining vision, can increase the risk of injury.

Falls are by far the leading cause of seniors' injuries, accounting for over 87 percent of hospitalizations (ages 71 and over); they are also responsible for 75 percent of deaths resulting from injury. Seventy percent of all deaths resulting from falls on stairs happen to people over 65 years of age.

In September of this year, Canada's First Ministers recognized that public health efforts in health promotion and disease and injury prevention are critical to achieving better health outcomes for Canadians and contributing to the long-term sustainability of medicare. Reducing the number of injuries among older Canadians can have a significant impact, both on seniors' quality of life and on health care system expenditures.

Over the course of the last four years, the Falls Prevention Initiative (a Health Canada/Veterans Affairs Canada collaboration) funded some 40 national and regional projects to build community partnerships and raise awareness of the risks to health and safety that falls represent. As a result of these efforts, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) offers a wide variety of tools and resources for seniors on injury prevention. Most recently, the Agency produced a stair safety fact sheet entitled "12 steps to stair safety at home" as well as a "Stay Safe!" poster depicting common hazards in the home. The "Safe Living Guide - A Guide to Home Safety for Seniors" also continues to be one of the most useful sources of safety advice for seniors, their families and caregivers.

We encourage you to visit the PHAC website to see the other resources available for seniors' injury prevention and safety. More information about National Seniors' Safety Week is available at the Canadian Safety Council Web site. Please feel free to share this information with family and neighbours.