The majority of falls are PREVENTABLE and PREDICTABLE

A fall represents the most frequent and serious type of injury for anyone over the age of 65 years. 50% of people over 80yrs will fall every year (DOH 2001):

• for Suffolk this could amount to over 7,000 people 

A fall can destroy a person’s confidence, increase their isolation and reduce their independence. Even the after-effects of most minor falls can be catastrophic for an older person’s physical and mental health

Injury caused by falling is a leading cause of death among older people aged 75yrs and older (DOH 2002).

Recent Help the Aged research shows older people are unaware of their potential for preventing falls by means of exercise to improve strength and balance. However they respond to the concept and believe support and encouragement should be given to make exercise an enjoyable, habitual part of daily life for older people (Help the Aged 2005)

A fall can lead to a long hospital stay and can result in a ‘long lie’ for a person who is unable to get up from the floor. The potentially serious consequences from this are hypothermia, bronco-pneumonia and possible pressure sores.

• Lying on the floor for 12 hours or more, can seriously affect a person’s ability to recover from a fall 

One study found that 80% of older women said that they would rather be dead than experience the loss of independence and quality of life that results from a bad hip fracture and subsequent admission to a nursing home (Salked 2000).

Falls in the over 65’s account for over 10% of the total London Ambulance Service workload, although nearly 40% are never admitted to hospital (Halter 2000)

Falls can also result in fractures – most commonly of the wrist and hip. People with thin bones, as a result of osteoporosis, are at particular risk of sustaining a fracture as a result of a fall.

For further information see:

‘What are fragile/brittle (osteoporosis) bones?’ and ‘Preventing and treating fragile bones?’

Evidence suggests that falls can be reduced by 50% when an individual’s risks of falling are assessed and action taken on them (NICE 2004)