Those of us caring for aging parents worry constantly about falls.  For good reason.  Consider that up to a quarter of those 65 years and older who suffer a hip fracture die within 6 months. 

Samantha Young has been caring for the elderly for over 17 years.  In this helpful article, she covers the various causes of falls and what we can do to help prevent them. 

Falls are a critical health care problem for elderly people, surpassing car wrecks as the leading cause of death from trauma for adults 65 years and older. 40% of elderly people age 65 and above fall every year. Falls can result in medical problems such as fractures, incontinence, painful bruising, and depression. Perhaps one in 10 falls results in serious injuries, with up to 1% of falls resulting in a broken hip and a further 5% resulting in other broken bones (75-80% of all hip fractures happen to women). Fear of falling can result in isolation and limited activities, which can lead to a reduction in quality of life.

It is of paramount importance that those of us caring for aging parentsfind ways to prevent falls.

Falls happen for many reasons. Age alone does not determine if an older adult is at risk for falls. Health problems such as poor vision, impaired gait, slowed reaction time, decreased muscle strength, use of psychoactive medications, and orthostatic hypotension can increase the risk of falls. Environmental factors such as poor lighting, uneven or wet floors, and shelves at too high or too low levels are also factors in determining fall risk.

The first step in reducing the risk of falls in the home would be to assess environmental hazards. The more obvious ones include loose rugs that can slide or pose a tripping hazard, electrical cords in traffic areas, and bathrooms that do not have safety bars. A simple home safety checklist can help catch potential hazards. Many home health care agencies provide a home safety check as a part of their initial registration or look on line at the Centers for Disease Control website for a home safety checklist you can do on your own.

The second step would be to have the elder examined by their physician to rule out any medical causes for the falls. A recent study from Newcastle General Hospital in England found that more than a third of the people who experienced a fall for an unknown reason had a problem called “carotid sinus hypersensitivity” (CSH). CSH is a common medical problem in the elderly. It occurs when a receptor located in the neck that helps regulate heart rate is overly sensitive. It causes the heart to slow down to the point that adequate blood and oxygen can’t get to the brain, leading to fainting and falls. A simple test of taking a persons blood pressure while massaging the neck can diagnosis the problem and the condition is treatable with a pacemaker. There can be other medical causes for falls that only a physician can determine which is why a full history and physical is very important.