ABSTRACT

Injuries associated with fall accidents pose a significant problem to society both in terms of human suffering and economic losses. Falls are among the most common and serious problems facing older adults, and falling is associated with considerable mortality, reduced functioning, and premature nursing home admissions. Falls generally result from an interaction of multiple and diverse risk factors and situations. This interaction is modified by age, disease, and the presence of hazards in the environment. Frequently, older people do not appreciate the seriousness of or report these problems to their physicians and, thus, the problems remain undetected until preventable injury and disability occur. Both the incidence of falls and the severity of fallrelated complications rise steadily after about the age of 60. In the age group 65 and over, approximately 35 to 40% of community dwelling, generally healthy elderly persons fall annually. After the age of 75, the rates are higher. Incidence rates of falls in nursing homes and hospitals are almost three times the rates for persons older than 65 years of age living in the community (1.5 falls per bed annually). Complication rates are also considerably higher, with 10 to 25% of institutional falls resulting in fracture, laceration, or the need for hospital care.