More injured in falls than burns, shootings combined

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]As you age, your risk of severe injury from falling increases, but some are taking proactive measures.

[00:00:07]>> That's right. 10 On Your Side's Ashley Knight talked with a woman who decided to take action before she became a victim.

[00:00:15]Regina and Aisha, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital saw more victims of ground-level falls than burn victims or gunshot wound victims combined. Lillian Peterson is determined to not be another statistic.

[00:00:30]What's your biggest fear um as you get older? Falling. It truly is falling.

[00:00:36]Lillian Peterson is 77 years old. She got a little dizzy recently and decided to get checked out. And they came, gave a diagnosis of vertigo. Doctors put her in their SAFE program or Sentara Awareness for Falls Education that improves stability and balance.

[00:00:56]Whoa.

[00:00:57]Okay. We check out their balance and their range of motion and their strength and ask them questions about their vision, if they've had any hearing changes that could also affect balance.

[00:01:07]What I'm finding out is I had strength, but the the gait is sort of off and such and not feeling steady is off.

[00:01:15]>> She wants to head off any potential falls. She's known others who weren't as proactive as she was. Someone who fell several years ago and with within 1 year uh she passed. And then recently a friend of mine fell and she passed also.

[00:01:31]>> You hear the story about somebody who falls and breaks a hip and then maybe they are in the hospital for a time, then maybe they get another infection or they end up with pneumonia or it can just be the first step in a downward spiral.

[00:01:43]In 2025, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital's trauma unit saw 250 gunshot wounds, 306 burns, and 1,395 ground-level falls. Nearly 800 of them were people over 65. It's definitely a concern and one that therapists wish people paid more attention to.

[00:02:04]Preventing falls can be the step one first step in making sure that you maintain that level of function and that quality of life. Sitting around watching TV just doesn't do it.

[00:02:14]I found that out. Yep.

[00:02:17]Absolutely. And we'll have more about Sentara's fall prevention therapy program at wavy.com in just a little bit. Ashley Knight, 10 on your side.