§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many elderly and disabled persons, respectively, have been killed or injured, respectively, in home accidents in each of the last 10 years for which records are available; and if he will estimate the number who died in the home of heart attacks or other medical seizures in the same period.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThere are no national figures compiled relating to home accidents involving disabled persons. Most of the available information for home accidents in the elderly is shown in the following table, but is restricted to injuries which result in death or hospital inpatient admission. Recent figures from other Government sources suggest that annually over 150,000 elderly people are treated for injury as a result of home accidents other than as hospital inpatients. The numbers of elderly people dying at home are not routinely available. The table shows the numbers of deaths at home of people of all ages from ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Of deaths assigned to these causes the percentage occurring at age 65 and over, regardless of place of death, is approximately 75 and 85 per cent., respectively.
Deaths in the home due to ischaemic heart disease (including heart attacks) and cerebrovascular disease (including strokes) in England and Wales, 1971–1980 Year Ischaemic heart disease Cerebrovascular disease 1971 64,673 20,705 1972 67,478 20,705 1973 67,352 19,674 1974 67,094 18,648 1975 67,324 18,009 1976 66,785 16,713 1977 65,563 15,318 1978 66,638 14,663 1979 64,996 14,484 1980 63,593 12,828 The above figures include both acute and chronic conditions.
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Deaths and estimated injuries in home accidents to persons aged 65 years and over, 1971–1980, England and Wales. Year Deaths due to home accidents (regardless of place of death) Estimated* number of injuries due to home accidents requiring inpatient treatment 1971 3,378 29,500 1972 3,249 29,500 1973 3,046 26,000 1974 3,079 30,000 1975 2,980 31,000
Year Deaths due to home accidents (regardless of place of death) Estimated* number of injuries due to home accidents requiring inpatient treatment 1976 2,968 32,000 1977 2,775 30,500 1978 2,850 30,500 1979 2,261 32,000 1980 2,085 — * Figures are based upon a 10 per cent. sample of inpatient records from NHS hospitals, excluding psychiatric hospitals. The estimated numbers of injuries due to home accidents have been obtained by subtracting the number of deaths from the estimated number of hospital discharges and deaths due to home accidents.