At the age of 76, Martha lives alone and prides herself on her independence. She’s reasonably healthy and routinely dismisses her children’s concerns for her safety. After all, she’s lived in the same house for over 40 years and can find her way around it even in the dark. She did give in to her family on one point and agreed to wear an emergency response button around her neck. Martha thou...

Every year on the first day of fall, the National Council on Aging celebrates “National Falls Prevention Awareness Day” to bring attention to this growing public health issue. Each year, more than 2 million older Americans end up in the emergency department because of fall-related injuries.

Many people think falls are a normal part of aging but, the truth is, they’re not. To promote greater...