A fall is not almost always a simple event. It can cause hip and wrist fractures or dislocations, head injuries, cuts, bruises, abrasions and importantly, in some people, loss of mobility and/or confidence. It is the most common event that can change a person’s quality of life for worse.  

About 30% of people aged 65 years and older fall over one or more times per year! And yet, a fall is not an inevitable result of aging and should never be dismissed as such. What it does mean is that while changes that occur in our body as we get older can affect our risk of falling, there is much we can do to prevent a fall and if we do fall, to reduce the severity of injuries. An important and simple step to take if we fall over (even if there is no injury), is to speak to a health care professional. A fall could be a sign of an underlying health issue.

Common, correctable reasons for falls include (but are not limited to) weakening muscles, vision issues, sore joints or feet, side effects from medications (especially if taking 5 or more), problems with balance, loss of feeling in limbs, lack of physical activity (causing weak muscles and joints), poor diet (causing nutritional imbalances that affects health), dehydration and environmental factors such as trip hazards around the house (poor lighting, upturned carpets, uneven and/or slippery surfaces).

An older person is 12 times more likely to have a fall than a car or pedestrian accident! In fact, the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare indicates that 40 % of injuries requiring hospitalization are due to falls while 13% are due to motor vehicle accidents. Clearly, being younger does not make anyone immune to falling over! Given that most of us would consider buying car insurance as crucial as looking left and right before crossing the road, it seems logical to take steps to reduce our risk of falling over.

Some measures we can all take to prevent falls for ourselves and our older loved ones include helping improve safety around the house, looking after our health through having a healthy, balanced diet, keeping active, doing regular exercise to improve balance, strength and flexibility, speaking to a health professional about concerns with medications and/or best ways to manage chronic medical conditions that might affect balance, having eye and feet checks at appropriate intervals. This list is not exhaustive and there are many other ways to keep steady on your feet and also what to do if in case you have a fall. Better Health Channel (falls) is a good source of information, as are your local GP clinics and pharmacy. 

And if you have time, check out our new Facebook video on some very basic ways of preventing falls. So, chin up, keep steady and enjoy the best of what life has to offer!