IBMS BoneKEy | Perspective
Falls in older people: Risk factors, assessment and intervention
Jacqueline CT Close
DOI:10.1138/20090401
Abstract
Preventing falls and fall-related injuries in older people continues to challenge health professionals worldwide. While most falls do not have a significant impact on older people, falls remain the most common cause of injury-related hospitalization and death in this age group. Risk factors for falls are manifold and a range of screening and assessment tools exist to identify and delineate risk in older people. There are now a number of studies demonstrating that it is possible to reduce falls and potentially injuries from falls, including fractures. Targeted exercise is effective as a single intervention in community-dwelling older populations but is ineffective as a single intervention in hospitals and residential aged care facilities. A number of other single approaches to prevention including medication review and cataract extraction have been shown to be effective in community-dwelling populations. Multifactorial approaches appear to be more effective in hospitals and in people living in residential aged care facilities. This Perspective looks at the epidemiology and risk factors for falls as well as objective assessment of falls risk. Interventions are discussed for community and hospital settings, as well as for residential aged care facilities.
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