Falls Summary A fall can change your life. If you’re elderly, it can lead to disability and a loss of independence. If your bones are fragile from osteoporosis, you could break a bone, often a hip. But aging alone doesn’t make people fall. Diabetes and heart disease affect balance. So do problems with circulation, thyroid or nervous systems. Some medicines make people dizzy. Eye problems or alcohol can be factors. Any of these things can make a fall more likely. Babies and young children are also at risk of falling – off of furniture and down stairs, for example. Falls and accidents seldom “just happen.” Taking care of your health by exercising and getting regular eye exams and physicals may help reduce your chance of falling. Getting rid of tripping hazards in your home and wearing nonskid shoes may also help. To reduce the chances of breaking a bone if you do fall, make sure that you get enough calcium and vitamin D. NIH: National Institute on Aging National Institute on Aging Array After a fall in the hospital Bathroom safety – adults Exercises to help prevent falls Preventing falls Seniors Balance Problems American Geriatrics Society Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fall Proofing Your Home National Institute on Aging Falls in Nursing Homes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Falls Prevention: Unique to Older Adults AGS Foundation for Health in Aging Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Accidental Falls National Institutes of Health Diagnosis and Tests Diagnosis and Tests: Evaluating a Fall or Risk of Falling American Geriatrics Society Prevention and Risk Factors Fall Prevention: Simple Tips to Prevent Falls Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Preventing Falls National Institute on Aging Preventing Falls and Related Fractures National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Preventing Falls in Older Adults Who Live in Community Settings American College of Physicians Statistics and Research Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Falls May Be Sign of Future Alzheimer’s Disease, Cognitive Decline National Institute on Aging FastStats: Accidents or Unintentional Injuries National Center for Health Statistics Start Here Falls and Fractures National Institute on Aging Falls and Older Adults National Institute on Aging What Are Ways to Prevent Falls and Related Fractures? National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Children First Aid: Falls Nemours Foundation NIH MedlinePlus Magazine Home Improvements Prevent Falls How Can Older Adults Prevent Falls? Preventing Falls Preventing Falls: Great Help for Older Americans Related Issues Keeping Your Balance National Osteoporosis Foundation Speak Up: Reduce Your Risk of Falling Joint Commission Find an Expert National Institute on Aging National Institute on Aging Encyclopedia Preventing falls – what to ask your doctor Journal Articles Falls Latest News Poor Vision and Dangerous Falls Plague Many U.S. Seniors HealthDay
