Falls in older adults are a significant public health concern for multiple reasons. First, falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among people over the age of 65. Falls also cost billions of dollars in direct medical expenses each year. Second, falls are associated with reduced quality of life, increased fear of falls, and a high rate of institutionalization. There are many ways to prevent falls in older adults, but unfortunately only a few have been shown to reduce fall rates significantly. The following is an overview of some of the best practices for preventing falls in older adults:

Ensuring a safe environment

The first step in preventing falls is to ensure an environment that is safe. This means removing any items that could cause a person to trip or fall. This includes removing clutter from the floor, removing rugs or other items that could trap a person’s foot, and cleaning and de-greasing all areas that could be prone to falls.

Proactive interventions

The next best thing to preventing falls is to identify those who are at high risk of falling and provide appropriate interventions to reduce their risk. Many factors increase a person’s risk of falling, such as impaired vision, hearing loss, balance problems, and certain medications. The best way to identify those who are at higher risk is to conduct a falls risk assessment. This can be done during an initial evaluation or through ongoing care.

Environmental modification

Ensuring a safe environment can help prevent falls, but there are other things that can be done to further decrease fall risk. One of these is to ensure that your home’s flooring is slip-resistant and appropriately sloped. You can also add grab bars in the bathroom and other high-risk areas. These can help a person to have more stability and less risk of falling.

Balance and strength training

There is strong evidence that exercise can lower the risk of falls among older adults. Many studies have found that certain types of exercise can reduce fall risk by as much as 50%. The best exercises for this are strength training and aerobic exercises such as walking or jogging. There are several ways to safely and effectively implement a strength training program. Some of these are hiring a personal trainer or strength coach, attending a group exercise program, or using free online exercise programs.

Continued education and support

Once the environment is safe and proper exercise programs are in place, there is still more that can be done to reduce fall risk. This includes continued education and support. This can include ongoing education on how to prevent falls and how to respond to a fall. It can also include support groups for those who have experienced a fall and want to learn more about preventing them.

Conclusion

Falls in older adults can be prevented through a combination of safe environment, proactive interventions, environmental modification, balance and strength training, and continued education and support. These practices can help to reduce the risk of falling among older adults and make them safer as they age.