The Fall Epidemic Among Older Adults
One in three adults over 65 falls each year. Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury in older adults and the most common cause of hip fracture — which has a 20% one-year mortality rate. Prevention is urgent and effective.
Multifactorial Fall Assessment
Falls are rarely caused by a single factor. Comprehensive assessment covers balance and gait, muscle strength, vision, cognition, medications, home environment, and orthostattic blood pressure — each contributes to fall risk.
Exercise-Based Prevention Programs
Tai Chi, Otago Exercise Programme, and group balance training all have strong evidence for reducing falls in community-dwelling older adults. The minimum effective dose is 2–3 sessions per week for 3+ months.
Home Hazard Modification
Lighting improvement, removal of loose rugs, installation of grab rails in bathrooms and stairways, raised toilet seats, and removal of trailing wires reduce fall risk by 20–35% in community-dwelling older adults.