Key facts from the World Health Organisation (WHO):

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• Falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide.

• Each year an estimated 646 000 individuals die from falls globally of which over 80% are in low- and middle-income countries.

• Adults older than 65 years of age suffer the greatest number of fatal falls.

• 37.3 million falls that are severe enough to require medical attention occur each year.

• Prevention strategies should emphasize education, training, creating safer environments, prioritizing fall-related research and establishing effective policies to reduce risk.

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Prevention is the key!

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Fall prevention strategies should be comprehensive, multifaceted and multimodal. 

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Effective fall prevention programmes aim to reduce the number of people who fall, the rate of falls and the severity of injury should a fall occur.

 

For older individuals, fall prevention programmes can include a number of components to identify and modify risk, such as:

• screening and if positve risk identified assessments within living environments for risks for falls;

• clinical interventions to identify risk factors, such as medication review and modification, treatment of low blood pressure, vitamin D and calcium supplementation if found to be reduced, treatment of correctable visual impairment;

• prescription of appropriate assistive devices to address physical and sensory impairments;

• muscle strengthening and balance retraining prescribed by a trained health professional;

• community-based group programmes which may incorporate fall prevention education and Tai Chi-type exercises or dynamic balance and strength training;

• use of hip protectors for those at risk of a hip fracture due to a fall.