Falls in the elderly: Causes and prevention

Falls in the elderly are common in the community. Each year, approximately 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries, including more than 800,000 hospitalizations for fall injuries such as hip fractures or head injuries.

While falls are common, you and your family can take steps to prevent falls in the elderly.

Causes of falls in the elderly

Falls are one of the most common causes of injury in the elderly. Every year, more than 35% of elderly people fall. In particular, the risk of falling due to injury increased by nearly 45% in people over 70 years old.

Common causes

If parents have one or more of the following risks, they are more likely to have multiple falls. These risk factors include:

• Have a history of falling before?
• Use assistive devices such as walkers or canes
• Low light environment
• Furniture around to clutter
• Health problems related to muscle weakness, stiffness, muscle spasticity, osteoarthritis
• Or get dizzy
• Loss of balance when walking
• Having vision and hearing problems
• Gradual loss of cognitive ability
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis in the elderly
• Using certain medications

Falls in the elderly due to the use of certain drugs

In addition to environmental or health-related causes, several studies have shown a correlation between the use of certain medications and a higher risk of falls in the elderly, specifically:

• Psychotropic drugs such as hypnotics or tranquilizers can interfere with balance in older people. In addition, the drowsiness caused by the use of sedatives can also make the elderly more susceptible to falls than usual.
• Antipsychotics and antidepressants may also be responsible for the same effect.
• Taking antihistamines can also increase the risk of falls in the elderly.
• Cardiovascular drugs can cause many elderly people to experience blurred vision or cognitive decline, making them more susceptible to tripping.
• Beta-blockers or diuretics may increase the risk of hypertension, dizziness and lightheadedness in the elderly.

Consequences of falls in the elderly

Falls in the elderly cause a series of injuries and significantly affect the physical and psychological health of the elderly. While not all cases are serious, 1 in 5 older adults with falls experience an injury. Common injuries from falls include:

• Broken bones in the wrist, arm or ankle
• Severe hip fracture
• Head injury.

How to handle when the elderly fall

If unfortunately there is an elderly person in the family who has fallen, especially a strong blow to the head, you should immediately take them to the nearest hospital for examination and first aid. Falls are a common cause of traumatic brain injury and should be treated as soon as possible. Injuries from falls can have serious effects, making it difficult for older people to walk or live on their own.

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How to prevent falls in the elderly?

Here are some ways to help prevent falls in the elderly:

1. Safe and neat living environment

Since most falls occur indoors, creating a safe, orderly environment is essential to preventing falls:

• Eliminate the risk of falling when walking around the house
• Repair damaged stairs or hallways
• Anti-slip floor mats
• Make sure the mat is on tile or hard surface
• Use a mop to lightly wipe the bathroom to prevent slipping
• Use more handrails in the hallway, in the bathroom, along the stairs…

2. Exercise

Exercise is also a way to reduce the risk of falls in the elderly. Exercises such as gait correction, strength training, or balance exercises have been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of falls. Specifically, tai chi exercise or regular walking will help the elderly to limit this situation.

If the elderly have fallen once, they become fearful of the prospect of falling again, which in turn leads to limited activity. Instead, seniors need to focus on maintaining mobility, as this will help them become more confident when safely moving around the home.

3. Wear suitable footwear

Foot pain caused by wearing ill-fitting footwear can cause frequent falls in the elderly. In addition, going barefoot, wearing socks or slippers can also contain other potential dangers. Instead, the elderly should wear shoes with low heels and anti-slip soles that will help limit falls.

4. Vision correction

Visual impairment makes it difficult to estimate walking distances, thus making it difficult for older people to distinguish slippery surfaces while walking. If you have determined that the cause is a vision problem, you can take the elderly to an eye exam, or need cataract surgery if the doctor orders. Besides treating vision problems that can help reduce the risk of falls, wearing glasses regularly and using eye medication is also a way to prevent falls for seniors.

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Because falls in the elderly are unavoidable, family members also need to prepare psychologically and observe carefully to react when bad situations occur. In addition, you can supplement the tools with calcium-rich foods, or calcium supplements to maintain strong bones and minimize the harm that falls cause for the elderly.