New Canadian Senior Fall Statistics Resource Highlights 7,621 Deaths and 81,599 Hospitalizations

Canadian senior fall statistics compiled by Seniors Bulletin: 7,621 deaths in 2022, 81,599 hospitalizations in 2023/24 excluding Quebec, 212,570 emergency visits in Ontario and Alberta, and $5.6 billion in direct costs in 2018.

Falls caused 7,621 deaths among Canadians age 65 and older in 2022, while 81,599 fall-related hospitalizations were recorded in 2023/24 outside Quebec, according to a newly published Canadian senior fall statistics resource from Seniors Bulletin Canada.

The complete research page is available at: https://seniorsbulletin.ca/senior-fall-statistics-canada/

The resource brings together the latest available mortality, hospitalization, emergency-department, injury and cost data from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Statistics Canada, the Canadian Institute for Health Information and Parachute. Each figure is presented with its source year, population, geographic coverage and important exclusions.

“Canadian fall statistics are often repeated without noting the year, what was measured or which provinces were included,” said Wil Thomas, editor at Seniors Bulletin Canada. “We built this resource so journalists, researchers, caregivers and families can quickly find a useful number, trace it to the original source and understand exactly what it means.”

Five findings that show the scale of senior falls in Canada

• Fall mortality rises dramatically with age. In 2022, the published death rate among adults age 90 and older reached 913.5 per 100,000 men and 864.7 per 100,000 women. For adults age 65–69, the corresponding rates were 15.0 and 9.7—an increase of more than fiftyfold across the age groups.
• Falls dominate injury-related hospitalizations. In 2022/23, falls caused 89% of injury-related hospitalizations among adults age 65 and older, excluding Quebec. Thirty-four per cent of fall hospitalizations involved a hip fracture.
• More than 200,000 emergency visits were recorded in only two provinces. Ontario and Alberta reported 212,570 fall-related emergency-department visits among older adults in 2023/24. The figure is not a Canada-wide total.
• Walking was involved in most reported serious fall injuries. In the 2017–18 Canadian Community Health Survey, 61% of the most serious reported fall injuries occurred while walking, while 12% occurred on stairs or steps.
• The economic burden was measured in the billions. Falls among Canadians age 65 and older generated an estimated $5.6 billion in direct costs in 2018. The estimate is reported in 2018 dollars and should not be presented as a current-dollar figure.

The page also explains why commonly quoted fall figures can appear to conflict. Canada does not have one database that captures every fall. Death certificates, hospital records, emergency-department records and household surveys measure different parts of the issue and should not be added together.

“One of the most important distinctions is that the national 5.8% figure represents older Canadians living in households who reported a serious fall-related injury—not everyone who experienced any type of fall,” Thomas said. “Preserving those definitions makes the data more useful and reduces the risk of a misleading headline.”

Built for journalists, researchers and Canadian families

The Seniors Bulletin resource includes:

• Full mortality, hospitalization and emergency-visit tables by age and published male/female categories
• Original charts that may be reused with visible attribution and a link
• A downloadable CSV with source periods, units, geography and exclusions
• Citation-ready summaries for commonly referenced statistics
• Direct links to the original government and public-health sources
• Practical context about fall prevention, aging in place and home safety

View the full report, charts and downloadable data: https://seniorsbulletin.ca/senior-fall-statistics-canada/

The page is intended as a statistical reference and does not replace medical advice or an individualized fall-risk assessment from a qualified healthcare professional.

About Seniors Bulletin Canada

Seniors Bulletin Canada is an independent information and comparison resource for Canadian seniors, caregivers and families. It publishes guidance on senior home safety, mobility, accessibility, aging in place, medical alert systems, stair lifts, walk-in tubs and home elevators.

Website: https://seniorsbulletin.ca/

Notes to editors

Hospitalization figures for 2023/24 exclude Quebec. Emergency-department figures for 2023/24 cover Ontario and Alberta only. The $5.6-billion direct-cost estimate is based on 2018 data and 2018 dollars. Original Seniors Bulletin charts may be republished with visible attribution and a link to the research page.

Media Contact
Company Name: Seniors Bulletin
Contact Person: Wil Thomas
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City: Toronto
State: Ontario
Country: Canada
Website: seniorsbulletin.ca