Fall Prevention Strategies Lower Hospitalizations Among Older Adults

A study published in The Gerontologist determined at-risk older adults are less likely to be hospitalized for fall-related injuries if they have a "fall plan of care," according to Safety+Health . The researchers examined more than 12,000 cases of men and women 65 or older who had visited their primary care physician between Sept. 11, 2012, and Oct. 30, 2015. The seniors were categorized as either at-risk with no fall plan of care, at-risk with a plan, or not at risk. At-risk seniors with a fall plan of care were 0.6 times less likely to be hospitalized from a fall than those who lacked a plan. "Fall prevention activities such as raising awareness about fall risk, identifying individual risk for fall, discussing fall risk prevention strategies, and providing referrals to fall risk reduction programs in the community for older adults were shown to reduce fall-related hospitalizations," notes Binghamton University Professor Yvonne Johnston. She also says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Stopping Elderly Accidents Deaths and Injuries initiative has helped seniors become more aware of conditions that contribute to falls, take steps to modify home environments to lower their risk, participate in prevention programs, and get involved in physical activities to improve strength and balance.