Preventing falls and related injuries in older adults living at home: a review of the evidence

Approximately 30% of community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and older will fall each year.

• Falls and fall-related injuries are strong predictors of admission to long-term care homes.
• Elderly individuals who experience 2 or more falls without injury have over 5 times higher risk of admission to long-term care.
• Exercise programs, particularly targeted ones, are associated with reduced fall risk in seniors.
• Environmental modifications in the homes of frail elderly individuals may effectively lower the incidence of falls.
• Vitamin D and calcium supplementation for elderly women is linked to a reduction in fall risk by more than 40%.
• The use of gait-stabilizing devices in winter may decrease falls and related injuries, though evidence is still limited.

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