One in Four US Adults 65+ Are Falling Each Year

As older people grow older, they often become more aware of the health risks they may face. For example, elderly people might find they have to manage high blood pressure or the threat of heart attack and stroke.

Yet one of the greatest risks to older people doesn’t get much attention. That’s the risk of falling. And while falling doesn’t sound as serious as other health risks, it can actually have a severe effect on seniors’ lives, even resulting in death. What’s more, according to the CDC, a fall happens at least once to a quarter of older adults each year.

That’s why we’re here to explain all about the risk of falling, including why it happens, why it’s so serious, and what you can do to combat it.

Why do older people fall?

Anyone can fall, of course. But older people have a notably higher chance of falling, and there are several reasons why.

Medications

People aged 65+ are often given prescription drugs to treat conditions like pain, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. And it’s great that we have ways to treat these conditions. But the drawback is that some medications come with side effects – and those can include dizziness or brain fog that lead to falls. When a senior is taking multiple medicines, there’s also a risk that they can interact and cause unwanted side effects.

Muscle weakness

It’s a fact that muscle strength decreases with age. Indeed, according to a 2015 brief by the CDC, almost one in five people aged 80 or over in the USA had weak muscle strength. This type of weakness can be a factor in falls because it doesn’t just make seniors more likely to fall. It means they may not be strong enough to get up off the floor after a fall – which is a huge problem all on its own.

Joint stiffness or balance problems

The CDC tells us that over half of adults aged 75 and up have arthritis. And that’s no surprise – doctors think that osteoarthritis is often caused by the wear and tear on joints that comes with age.

But arthritis brings with it symptoms like muscle stiffness and pain. Those alone can make it more difficult for seniors to be mobile. But when moving is difficult, older people can move less, which means they grow even weaker in a vicious cycle.

Foot numbness from diabetes

Close to half of people with diabetes have nerve damage, which can cause numbness in feet and hands. And being over 40 is a risk factor for nerve damage, which means older people are more likely to suffer from this problem.

It’s easy to see how numbness and nerve damage in the feet can increase an older person’s chance of tripping and falling.

Eyesight problems

Weaker eyesight is often associated with growing older. What’s more, older people typically have worse night vision even if their usual eyesight isn’t bad. So, a dim stairway or dark steps outside a house might well be a much greater danger to an elderly person than to a young one.

Rushing to the bathroom

Lastly, here’s an unexpected factor when it comes to seniors and falls – bladder issues that can cause an older person to rush to the bathroom. When an elderly person with some of the mobility issues we’ve already discussed is trying to get to the bathroom quickly, there’s less time to be careful. And that can mean a fall, especially at night when it’s more difficult to see.

How can seniors fight the risk of falls?

There is no way to totally prevent falls in the elderly. But there are lots of steps you can take to decrease the chance of falling and keep a senior safer even if they do fall. In fact, now that you know the causes of falling, you might be able to guess some of the steps we’ll discuss below. They include …

Improving lighting in the home

Installing lights in dark areas, especially stairwells and steps outside, can make a big difference when it comes to tripping and falling. You may want to use automatic lights that come on when they detect motion.

And when it comes to getting up to visit the bathroom at night, motion-detecting nightlights plugged into power outlets can be helpful. Some seniors who don’t want to be woken up by turning on the overhead light can appreciate a little more light around floor level.

Installing banisters and fixing unsteady steps

Staircases are an area of risk because they’re more difficult to use if you have some of the conditions we’ve mentioned above, like foot numbness or muscle weakness. That’s why it’s so important to install strong banisters to hold onto both sides of a staircase, not just one side. You’ll also want to make sure that all steps and stairs are steady and secure.

Accessibility adaptations in the bathroom

People with mobility difficulties often find it hard to get in and out of the bathtub or to safely sit down on the toilet. In this situation, grab bars can be a huge help – they can provide a sense of confidence as well as a stable point to help with balancing and movement. What’s key is ensuring that your grab bars can bear the appropriate weight and are well installed.

Some older people also prefer to change their tubs into a walk-in or roll-in shower. That way, there is no obstacle that needs to be stepped over.

Further bathroom adaptations include treatments to make tub or shower floors less slippery. You’ll also want to ensure any bathmats are non-slip ones.

And lastly, just in case a fall does occur, it’s important to have a way to call for help from the bathroom. Bathrooms are more private spaces where older people may not have their phone with them and might find it harder to call for help. So, seniors need a shower-proof way of calling for help if they fall, such as a medical alert device for the elderly. If possible, older people can wear these devices as pendants in the shower, which means the button to call for help is never out of reach.

Clearing spaces on the floor

Clutter can accumulate quickly in a home, and it’s sometimes difficult to plug in appliances like fans without trailing cords across the floor. But even small items like dogs’ toys or power cords can be a serious tripping hazard.

Seniors with mobility disabilities can also find it challenging to squeeze around obstacles when paths through the home aren’t clear.

For all these reasons, an older person’s home needs to have cleared floors and open, clutter-free paths that they can walk through.

Similarly, it’s important to make sure all rugs are smooth, unwrinkled, and secured so they won’t trip up a senior walking by.

Preventing slipping

We’ve already talked about tripping – but slipping is a major cause of falls too. That’s why any floor space that’s smooth and could get slippery with water is a risk. But a good doormat that absorbs water, ice, or snow moisture is a great start to lower the danger here. Safe practices for clearing snow and ice outdoors are also essential – you’ll want lots of salt or other ice-melting substances on hand to ensure that your porch, front steps or driveway are free of slippery ice.

Putting objects within easy reach

When someone is very mobile, with lots of strength and balance, then storing dishes or clothes on a high shelf may not be a big problem. But when a senior starts to struggle with balance and strength, that moment of stretching to get a distant object can trigger loss of balance and a fall.

In an older person’s home, it’s worth considering moving objects to shelves where they’re more easily within reach. In the shower, you can also get a shower caddy to prevent having to reach up or down in an already dangerous and slippery environment.

Talk to a doctor

According to the CDC, ​​a senior who falls once is twice as likely to fall again. So, if you’re worried about the risk of falling to yourself or an older loved one, or if someone has already fallen once, it might be worth talking to an expert. A doctor could be able to recommend a physical therapy regimen, a walking aid, or another measure that can keep you or your older relative safer.

The importance of preparing safety steps after a fall

As we’ve mentioned, all of the actions above can help keep an older person safer, but they can’t reduce the chances of a fall down to zero. Therefore, seniors also need to have a way to get help fast if they do fall.

What’s the best method here? A simple SOS button on a body-worn medical alert. This type of device, like SureSafe’s SureSafeGo, is small, unobtrusive and super easy to use. Older people can just wear the medical alert on a pendant or a belt clip and go about their lives with confidence.

If a fall does happen, all the elderly person needs to do is press and hold a single button. And even if they are unconscious when they fall, there’s a backup system – the SureSafeGo has sensors that can detect a fall. If the alert believes its wearer has fallen, it will send out an SOS call independently, with no input from the wearer needed.

Make a plan for fall safety with SureSafe

Curious to know what other functions our devices at SureSafe offer – like GPS tracking or the ability to call family for help?

Just reach out to our expert team by using our contact form, calling us at 888 540 7193, or sending an email to [email protected]. Alternatively, try our live chat or just request a call back. Our team is here to assist and chat with you about how to keep yourself or an older loved one safe.