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An Organized Approach to Post-Fall Assessment


Identifying Modifiable Risk Factors in Order to Prevent Future Falls

D'Arcy Little, MD, CCFP
Director of Medical Education and Research
York Community Services, Toronto, ON

Introduction and Epidemiology
Falls are a major health problem for the elderly and have been referred to as one of the "Geriatric Giants."1 The annual incidence of falls among the community-dwelling elderly is estimated to be 30% among those between 65 and 80 years of age, and 50% among those over 80 years of age.2 The annual incidence of falls among elderly nursing home residents is estimated to be 50%, with 40% of residents suffering multiple falls each year.2

Falls are a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Accidents are the 6th leading cause of death in persons over 65, and falls are estimated to be responsible for two-thirds of these deaths.2 As a result, falls directly or indirectly cause 12% of deaths within the geriatric population.3 In addition, up to 50% of falls in the elderly give rise to soft-tissue injury, with 5% of these being classified as serious. One percent of falls results in hip fractures, and two-thirds of these patients are unable to return to their pre-fracture functional level. Up to 5% of falls give rise to other varieties of fractures.