Who is at risk of falling

In 1991 one in six people were over 65 years of age and by 2021 this is estimated to be one in five.

About 200 years ago the majority of people would have died around the age of 50. Today thanks to modern medicine, a healthier lifestyle, hygiene and education, the average life span is 81 for women and 77 for men.

Although we are all getting older and staying fitter for longer, older people tend to have a greater need for health and social services than the young. A number of medical conditions and diseases are strongly associated with old age - these include:

• confusion;
• immobility;
• stroke;
• coronary heart disease;
• arthritis;
• impaired vision and hearing;
• incontinence;
• and falls.

The older you are, the more likely you are to fall and sustain injuries. this is because older people are more likely to have combinations of the risk factors that cause a fall. Old women are at highest risk.

You might expect that the majority of falls occur during risky activities such as hill walking or walking on icy pavements. Most falls, however, happen at home.

About one-third of adults aged 65 and over living at home will experience a fall.