ABSTRACT
Approximately 30 per cent of community-dwelling people over the age of 65 years fall at least once a year.1-5
The incidence of falling increases to approximately 40 per cent or greater in community-dwelling people 80 years and older or in institutionalized older adults.1,5-11 Falling accidents in the older population not only cause injuries, decreased mobility, reduced independence, changes in self-efficacy and lifestyles, and even deaths in older individuals, but also increase the needs and costs of geriatric health care in society.5,7,12
The profound medical and social impact of accidental falls in older adults has brought to the attention of researchers and clinicians the need to develop effective methods to identify fall predisposing factors in this population.
