Unfortunately, the elderly and frail are most susceptible to falls which can cause serious discomfort and injury. According to the NHS, around one in three adults over the age of 65 who live at home will have at least one fall a year. This rises to half of adults over 80. Once somebody has a fall, it can affect their confidence, which in-turn can create a sense of fear or isolation. Falls can occur due to various medical reasons, as well as hazards around the home. This article will share some of these causes of falls in the elderly and also give some quick tips on how to reduce the risk.
Causes of Falls
There are two main categories of causes of falls in the elderly: health and environment. A person may experience only one potential trigger or live with several. These can include health conditions or hazards around the home.
Poor Balance or Dizziness
Age causes changes to the body, such as a loss of muscle mass and bone strength. These changes can lead to reduced equilibrium, or balance, leading to an increased risk of falls. This can be even more dangerous if a person experiences dizziness, which can have any number of causes. For example, dizziness may be a result of dehydration, or it could be a sign of a condition such as vertigo or diabetes.
There are several conditions that can contribute to poor balance and dizziness. Two major causes are stroke and Parkinson's Disease. However, you may also experience poor balance from arthritis and osteoporosis, or dizziness from high blood pressure.
Lack of Activity
Another contributing cause of falls in the elderly is a lack of exercise. In later life, muscle mass and bone density reduce faster than when a person is younger. This makes it important to maintain fitness where possible.
A lack of activity directly contributes to a loss of strength, which can increase the risk of falls. For over-65s, the NHS recommends doing at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week. Even something as simple as getting up to make a cup of tea helps to keep your bones and muscles healthy. Of course, though, you should push yourself to do more than simply walk around – gardening is an effective way of keeping fit in later life.
Poor Vision
It shouldn't be surprising that poor eyesight may contribute to falls. As well as affecting spatial awareness and, in some people, balance, losing your eyesight can make it harder to identify obstacles. This is a situation where health and environmental circumstances combine to cause falls in the elderly.
Poor vision can lead to missing steps on the stairs, bumping into leg-height obstacles, or catching your foot on trailing cables or curling mats. It can also affect you when out and about. Therefore, it's important to get your eyes tested regularly. It's also important to remember that poor vision could be linked to diabetes.
Clutter and Obstacles
As touched on in the previous cause of falls in the elderly, obstacles are a major contributor to falls. One of the most effective ways to reduce this risk is to make sure your home is tidy. Some of the most important places to keep clear of clutter are walkways, such as hallways or the floor of your living room.
Shoes left out, cables for your TV, and even low coffee tables can become trip hazards. It's also important to recognise whether any damage to carpets could pose a risk, as your feet may get caught on upturned edges.
Poor Lighting
Like poor eyesight, a lack of sufficient lighting in the home could make it harder to see obstacles. It can also affect depth perception – after all, our eyes need enough light to process our surroundings correctly. This can lead you to misjudge where an object is in relation to your feet, increasing the risk of falls.
Fortunately, it is possible to get special lighting that is both motion-activated and can be placed in a way that will not create additional obstacles.
Slippery Surfaces
Wet floors pose a hazard throughout the home and on the go. Footwear with poor grip is more likely to slide on these surfaces, which can be a leading cause of falls in the elderly. This risk is especially high in bathrooms during a bath or shower; you may slip when getting out.
Whilst fall detector alarms provide some peace of mind in these situations, prevention is always the best option. Do your best to keep floors dry, use non-slip mats for extra security, and consider grabrails.
Medications
Another potential contributor to falls in the elderly is medication. Whilst medications are often necessary for continued good health, some do come with side effects. Moreover, with many over-60s taking multiple medications, the risk of side effects increases.
Medications affecting blood pressure can lead to increased dizziness. Alternatively, some medications can cause drowsiness, which can affect how you move around the home. However, it's important to recognise that medications are important. Fortunately, doctors may be able to change your dosage or switch you to alternative medications if you are experiencing side effects.
How to Reduce Risk of Falls in the Elderly
Although some falls cannot be prevented, due to a person's health, there are some ways in which we can reduce the risk. These include:
- Remove tripping hazards from around the home, such as wires and shoes.
- Install grab bars in key locations such as the bathroom and hallway.
- Make sure items such as pans and plates are easily accessible.
- Install a stair lift to avoid having to walk up and down the stairs.
You can find more ways to reduce the risk in our dedicated article.
Don't Jump to Conclusions
For many families, an older relative suffering a fall can be a motivator to find a long-term care home for them. Although such a decision is made with their relative's safety in mind, it may not be necessary.
There are other causes that contribute to falls in the elderly, besides being frail or suffering from poor eyesight. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have found that illnesses such as urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and bloodstream infection can lead to falls. The symptoms the infections cause, such as low blood pressure and dizziness, explain why people have falls when ill.
"Researchers analysed 161 patients who went to the emergency room because they fell and were subsequently diagnosed with a coexisting infection." – The Telegraph
A Telecare alarm may be a good solution for those prone to feeling under the weather, as it will enable them to keep their independence by staying at home. The Telecare system is easy to use and allows the user to wear an Alarm Pendant around their wrist or neck. If the wearer has a fall, then they simply need to press the red button on their pendant and help will soon be with them.
The push of the button sends a message to our 24/7 monitoring centre, who will then try to communicate with the user over the alarm's loudspeaker. Help will then be contacted via the user's selected family members, close friends, or neighbours, and via the emergency services if they are also needed.
Find out more about our Telecare Personal Alarm Service by giving our sales team a call on 0800 635 7000.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on 14th November 2023 to reflect current information.
