By Julie Elaine Brown, M. A.

Here’s a scary statistic: Falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people 65 or over.

When a loved one falls, he or she may obtain serious physical injuries—but the emotional injuries are often just as severe. More than 25 percent of elderly limit their activities after a fall, refusing to go on walks outside, or visit friends out of the fear they may fall again.

Causes of Falls

So what causes falling as we age? Lack of balance? Medical conditions? Studies have shown that more elderly women fall than men, which might be attributed to more women having osteoporosis (bone loss), which can affect stability while moving. But other reasons include environmental factors indoors and outdoors, medication, and physical conditions such as dizziness.

The list below identifies some of the risks associated with falling*:

Physical Ailments & Falling

The following conditions are just a selected few that may increase your loved one’s chances of falling. Be sure to ask your doctor about other conditions that may increase your loved one’s chances of falling.

• Arthritis

  Arthritis causes a decreased range of motion, muscle pain and weakness, and joint pain and weakness. This can contribute to instability or pain while in motion—which may cause falling. 

• Dementia

  Impairments in cognitive processing and motor and sensory loss can disorient your loved one. This can contribute to confusion and falling.

• Depression

  Agitation, irritation, and lack of caring may cause your loved one to not pay attention while in motion. Decreased activity and lethargy may cause muscular weakness which can cause falls.

• Diabetes

  Symptoms associated with diabetes such as low or high blood sugar, cardiovascular disease, obesity, eye problems, and more, can contribute to falls.

• Foot problems

  Bunions, deformed toes, painful calluses, or plantar warts may all contribute to pain while your loved one walks, and can contribute to falls.

• Parkinson’s disease

  Abnormal gait, balance problems medication side effects and other symptoms may contribute to an increased chance of falling.

Common Sense

While it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with your loved one’s medical condition and general risk factors for falling, the best advice might just be to be as careful as possible in all circumstances. While we are young and healthy, it never occurs to us that something as simple as a throw rug might become a potentially deadly enemy. Be sure to keep children’s toys and other small objects off the floor, and ensure that all hallways and doorways have enough space for your loved one to comfortably move through. Be aware of stairs and consider gates and rails to prevent your loved one from accidentally falling in the middle of the night.

Be sure to read our article on Preventing Falls & Fear for more practical advice!