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Falling is the leading cause of injury in older adults and can lead to hip fractures, serious head injuries, or death. It’s also not inevitable ? most falls are preventable. Talk to your older loved one about their fall history and risk factors. Encourage them to exercise with a health care provider and participate in activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility. Unintentional falls are those that occur when a person’s body strikes against an object or the ground. They can result in varying degrees of injury, from mild to severe. The number of injuries related to these events is high. They can be fatal for frail elderly patients. Most falls in older people are caused by loss of balance, which can be due to a variety of factors. These include reduced muscle strength, impaired vision, use of medications (especially those causing dizziness or confusion), solitary living, and poor balance and gait.
A fall can lead to a serious head injury. If an elderly person hits their head, they need to see a doctor right away to ensure it doesn’t cause internal bleeding or brain damage. Certain medical conditions and medications can make people more likely to fall. Some examples include seizures, strokes, blackouts, and high blood pressure medication. Unintentional falls are those that happen due to a hazard in the environment such as throwing rugs, clutter or poor lighting. Many of these risks can be fixed with simple home modifications or improved living arrangements. Accidental falls in older adults can introduce a large burden to health care providers and society. They often result in severe injuries with high mortality rates and a substantial economic cost. They may even lead to long-term disability. It’s important for a patient’s physician to identify less addressed but important casual factors leading to falls and apply a systematic causal mapping method. Falls in older adults are a common phenomenon and cause significant morbidity (like fractures) and mortality. They also have serious socioeconomic consequences like loss of independence, reduced quality of life, and higher healthcare costs. Age-related changes in the nervous system impair postural control and balance. This results in a decreased amplitude of the gait cycle, increased sway and a slower rate of recovery of balance after perturbation. In addition, changes in vision and hearing impair the ability to detect environmental hazards. Fall-related injuries are a leading cause of hospital admissions for people aged 65 years and over. They can result in hip fractures and other major injuries that require prolonged hospital stays and can have long-term effects. Many of these injuries are preventable. Despite this, only about half of the elderly who fall tell their doctor about it. The most common reason for this is the fear of falling, which can lead to a decline in an individual’s quality of life. Falling is a common problem that can lead to hip fractures and serious head injuries. It can also be frightening for people who are already dealing with health problems and may cause them to fear falling again, which can limit their activities. Falls can even increase the risk of death. Many falls can be prevented by exercise, managing medications and making homes safer. Older adults should make sure their home is free of hazards like loose rugs, and should ask their doctors about ways to keep their balance. They should also have a plan for getting up after a fall, including keeping a phone within reach on the floor so they can call for help. In healthy elderly persons, situational and environmental factors are thought to be the major determinants of fall risk. In frail and impaired elderly persons, the etiology of falls is more complex. This is probably due to the convergence of intrinsic, pharmacologic, and environmental factors. |
