Nov. 17, 2025, By Donna MacKenzie
Falls remain the leading cause of injury and death for older adults in the United States. A new report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics highlights a troubling reality: unintentional fall death rates for adults age 65 and older continue to increase, reaching 69.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 2023.
For families with loved ones in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, these numbers are especially alarming. Too often, preventable falls in these settings are the result of negligence, poor supervision, or unsafe conditions.
Key Findings from the Report
- Higher risk for men: In 2023, the fall death rate was 74.2 per 100,000 for men and 66.3 for women. Men consistently had higher rates across every age group.
- Sharp increase with age: Among adults 85 and older, fall death rates skyrocketed to 373.3 for men and 319.7 for women.
- Racial disparities: White non-Hispanic adults 85 and older had the highest rates (395.5), while Black non-Hispanic adults had the lowest (123.9).
- Rising trends: Between 2003 and 2023, fall death rates increased across all age groups. For those 85+, rates nearly doubled for men and increased 2.5 times for women.
- State variations: Rates varied dramatically by state – from 29.5 in Alabama to 158.4 in Wisconsin. In Michigan, the rate was 72.2 per 100,000, slightly higher than the national average.
Why This Matters in Nursing Homes
While falls are a public health issue across all settings, nursing home residents face unique risks. Many rely on staff for mobility assistance, medication management, and supervision. When facilities fail to meet these needs, the consequences can be devastating:
- Residents left unsupervised despite known fall risks
- Broken equipment, unsafe flooring, or cluttered hallways
- Overmedication or failure to properly monitor side effects
- Ignored care plans or inadequate fall prevention protocols
At OMP, we have seen countless cases where falls that should have been prevented instead resulted in serious injuries, hospitalizations, or death.
A Call for Accountability
As a nursing home fall lawyer, OMP President Donna MacKenzie notes:
“This CDC report confirms what we see too often in our cases: falls among older adults are increasing, and too many are fatal. Nursing homes have a duty to put strong fall prevention measures in place — and when they fail, families deserve answers and accountability.”
Protecting Michigan Seniors from Fall Related Injuries
Michigan’s rate of fall deaths among older adults is higher than the national average, underscoring the urgent need for facilities to take fall prevention seriously. Families should know the risks, ask questions about fall prevention policies, and act quickly if concerns arise.
If your loved one has been injured or killed due to a preventable fall in a nursing home or long-term care facility, you are not alone. Our team is here to investigate, hold facilities accountable, and fight for the dignity and safety every resident deserves.
📞 Call us today at 1-800-366-8653 to discuss your case.
Donna M. MacKenzie is an accomplished trial attorney whose practice is focused on representing individuals harmed by neglect, abuse and wrongful death in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult-foster care homes. Donna has won multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for her clients, and is also known for having participated as one of the leading attorneys in securing an $8 million settlement against Farid Fata, M.D., who fraudulently misdiagnosed numerous patients with cancer and who is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence. She has held leadership roles such as past President of the Michigan Association for Justice, Chair of the American Association for Justice Nursing Home Litigation Group and Chair of the State Bar of Michigan Negligence Law Section Council, underscoring her peer-recognized expertise in nursing home law and long-term-care litigation.