Fall Prevention for Older Adults

Risks for Falls

A fall may be caused by many different things. Certainly a cluttered walk area may cause a fall but improper nutrition and lack of exercise may also cause a fall. The risk of falling also increases if medication levels are not correct or even if you don’t have the correct prescription in your glasses. Listed below are some of the risks for falling. Resources related to these risks may be found below.

Vision

• Macular Degeneration
• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Not wearing glasses or wrong prescription in lenses

Environment

• Cluttered walk spaces
• Low lighting
• Slippery flooring
• Lack of handrails and grab bars
• Out of reach cabinets and storage spaces
• Unsecured area rugs
• Unsecured electrical cords
• Unfamiliar environment

Medications

• Blood pressure medications
• Sedatives
• Muscle relaxers
• Mood medications
• Diuretics
• Mixing medications and alcohol
• Not keeping a record of your medications

Fear

• Fear of falling often results in inactivity which leads to muscle weakness, increasing the risk of falling

Habits

• Lack of exercise
• Getting out of bed or a chair immediately
• Not putting on glasses in the middle of the night
• Alcohol abuse
• Standing in chairs to reach high places

Assistive Devices

• Failing to use a prescribed, necessary assistive device may result in a fall
• Inappropriate shoes

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Resources

• Reducing Risks for Falling
• Older Adult Wellness: Preventing Falls
• A Toolkit to Prevent Senior Falls (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Preventing Falls Among Seniors: What YOU Can Do to Prevent Falls
  • Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults
  • Falls and Hip Fractures Among Older Adults
  • Falls in Nursing Homes
  • The Cost of Fall Injuries Among Older Adults
  • Falls Among Older Adults – Summary of Research Findings
• Falls Among Older Adults – Factbook (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)