Falls Prevention Series: Risk Factors

Posted on July 2, 2021

According to the American College of Physicians, falls are common among older adults. One in 3 adults aged 65 years or older and 1 in 2 adults aged 80 years or older fall each year. Falls typically don’t have a single cause. Multiple factors can lead to a fall, including age-related changes, chronic medical conditions, medications and environmental issues.

Am I at Risk for Falls?

You might be at higher risk for a fall if you:

• Have dementia or Parkinson’s disease
• Have eye problems, like glaucoma or cataracts
• Have arthritis or chronic pain
• Have heart disease
• Can’t hold your urine (called incontinence)
• Are not getting enough sleep
• Use certain medicines, like sedatives or opiates

In this month’s Falls Prevention Series, we are exploring dementia. Dementia is a decline in mental function that interferes with your daily life, and commonly develops later in life. There are different types of dementia—Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia are some of the most common. Symptoms often begin slowly and worsen over time.

People who have impaired cognition, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s, are at high risk for falls and injuries. As the disease progresses, problems with vision, perception and balance develop and can affect a person’s gait, making them unsteady on their feet.

If you are having memory or cognition issues or have noticed balance problems, talk with your doctor to be evaluated for dementia, and to review your other risk factors for falls. Exercise can be effective in reducing the risk for falls in older adults with mild to moderate dementia. Your doctor can make recommendations about what is appropriate for your situation.

(Source: In the Clinic. Annals of Internal Medicine. 4 December 2018.)

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