What Causes Elderly People to Fall?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), falls are a major public health problem, making it the second leading cause of accidental injury deaths globally. With age as one of the key factors for falls, adults aged 65 and above suffer the greatest number of fatal falls. Subsequently, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that falls are the number one cause of injuries in American adults, with one in four elder Americans suffering from a fall each year.

The physical, sensory, and cognitive changes associated with aging probably has a greater effect on a person's risk of falling than environmental and behavioral hazards and hazardous situations do. An older person's physical change can affect their balance, vision, sensation, muscle strength, and blood pressure, contributing to the increase in fall risks.

The cognitive abilities of people affect their conceptual reasoning, memory, and information processing. Thus, having poor physical health and declining cognitive capabilities can increase their initial risk of falling and minimize their ability to respond to or recover from hazardous situations like tripping or slipping.

A person diagnosed with a chronic disease can also suffer the same impairments associated with aging. Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, diabetes, and stroke are some of the health conditions that cause weakness in the extremities, poor grip strength, balance disorders, and cognitive impairments.

Consequently, adults with chronic illnesses often use prescription drugs that affect attention or lower blood pressure. Other medications can also have side effects such as drowsiness and dizziness, which can increase the risk of falling.

Many falls have been associated with hazards in the environment, including inadequate lighting, areas of disrepair, throw rugs, slippery floors, and clutter. The lack of safety equipment, like handrails on stairs, grab bars in the bathroom and shower, can also jeopardize seniors' safety in their home.

Lifestyle and behaviors can also influence a person's fall risk. Seniors often face the reality that they can never do most of their activities like before, as their strength and movements become limited due to changes in their bodies. So, when they want to engage in activities, they must consider the level of physical demand it requires, as it can contribute to their risk of falling.

According to the CDC, most falls are caused by a combination of risk factors. A person can have a higher probability of falling if they have more risk factors. Moreover, falls can cause broken bones, like wrist, arm, ankle, hip fractures, or worse, head injuries. In some cases, people become afraid of falling after experiencing one, even if they were uninjured. As this fear affects them psychologically, it makes them worry whenever they do everyday activities; therefore, to ease their anxiety, they lessen their activities. Becoming idle and inactive can lead to negative changes in a person's body. It makes them weaker, increasing their chances of falling again.

Nevertheless, falls can be prevented. There are ways to lessen the chances of a person from falling, even for seniors. According to research, some of the risk factors of falling are lower body weakness and difficulty walking and balance. Therefore, doing some strength and balance exercises can make a person's legs stronger and improve their balance. Walking activities can also help seniors be active and improve their steadiness.

Removing environmental hazards at home can also help prevent a fall. Moving items that clutter the floor and stairways, changing loose carpets, and tacking away electrical or extension cords properly over doorways or beneath floor coverings can prevent a person from tripping over the clutter and cables. Improving the brightness of lights at home can also prevent a person from slipping. Installing motion-sensitive lights can also be a good way of avoiding a fall. For families living with a senior, there should be safety equipment in the home, including bed railings, a reacher or grabber tool for those with weak grip strength or limited mobility, bathtub or shower transfer bench, or grab bars bathroom.

Accordingly, falls attributed to physical conditions can also be prevented. Having an eye check-up at least once a month can help in getting the correct glasses. Some people have bifocal or progressive lenses, which may change their perception of an object's distance when wearing their glasses. So, it is important to have glasses prescribed for outdoor activities. A vision check also does not end with having glasses correction; rather, it would also determine if a person needs treatment if they develop glaucoma or cataracts. This infographic of Euro-American Connections & Homecare lists some of the factors that cause older adults to fall.