Every 17 seconds, someone 65 or older is hospitalized due to a fall, highlighting a growing health crisis that experts said is largely preventable.

“All falls are preventable, as far as I’m concerned,” said Kris Wilson, an occupational therapist and home safety expert. “It’s just a matter of what you’re willing to do. Just like all car accidents are preventable if you drive slowly and in the correct lane and use your signals.”

Preventable falls cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $80 billion last year, with projections showing that figure could rise to $101 billion by 2030, according to the National Council on Aging.

Wilson pointed to common scenarios that lead to falls among seniors.

“The initial fall is usually caused by somebody doing something that’s outside of their capabili

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