Falls in older people

We all have tripped over the edge of a paving slab or have slipped on a wet floor. Most definitely we thought "what a lucky escape - I didn't fall!" But if we are unable to correct our balance when slipping or tripping, we fall.

There are numerous reasons why someone falls and often a fall is not caused by a single factor.

Scientists define a fall as "a sudden, unintentional change in position causing a person to land at a lower level, on the ground or some other lower object".

A fall can have devastating effects on a person's quality of life - injury, limited mobility, fear of falling again, losing one's independence - just to name a few. The important thing to remember is that many of the risk factors for falls can be modified and some can be removed.

By using this information package you can find out more about falls - who is at risk, what the causes might be, how to prevent a fall, how to manage if you do fall and what you can expect from your health care service.

Section Menu