Falls

Older adults with frailty are the most likely to experience falls and fall related injures; however, anyone can fall. In British Columbia, 1 in 3 older adults experience falls every year. About 10 to 15 percent of these falls result in serious injuries like broken bones.

It’s normal to feel embarrassed after having a fall. However, discussing the circumstances of your slip or trip with a healthcare provider can provide useful information for prevention.

There is a British Columbia Clinical Practice Guideline to support doctors and nurse practitioners in screening and assessing fall risk among older adults aged 65 and older. These guidelines will help your healthcare team work with you to lower your risk of falling.

Staying Independent Checklist:

The Staying Independent Checklist will help you determine your risk of future falls with a few simple questions. You can use this checklist and your score to start a conversation about fall prevention with your healthcare provider, or with friends and family.

Home safety checklist:

Most falls among older adults happen at home. There may be fall risks both inside and outside the home, like tripping hazards and improper lighting. You can use the Home Safety Checklist to assess the safety of your home and help minimize your risk of falling.

As you age, your body can lose strength and your reflexes may slow down, making a fall more likely. The good news is that anyone can lower their risk of falling by doing activities that improve their strength and balance. The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommends that all adults do strength activities for all major muscle groups at least twice a week. The guidelines recommend adults 65 and older also do activities that challenge balance. Besides preventing falls, physical activity can also improve your ability to complete daily tasks, mood, sleep, energy, and memory.

Strength and Balance for Life (STABL)

Strength and Balance for Life (STABL) is a set of activity resources that support the wellbeing and independence of older adults by reducing the risk of falling. They include:

• Strength and balance activities with videos and instructions
• Goal setting information
• Tracking sheet to record progress

These resources will help you determine whether it’s safe to start new physical activity, how to safely engage in physical activity with different conditions/symptoms, and which level to start at. You can read the overview below.

Strength and balance activities to do at home

The resources available throughout this page make up the Fall Prevention at Home resource suite. Use the links below to download the full package of resources which include:

• Staying Independent Checklist
• Home Safety Checklist
• Strength and Balance for Life (STABL) Overview Handout
• STABL Goal Setting Worksheet
• Activity instructions for STABL levels 1, 2 and 3
• STABL Tracking Sheets

Some medications can increase the risk of falling. The way medications affect you can change with age.

As you get older, some medications, or combinations of medications, might make you feel drowsy, dizzy, or unsteady on your feet. This can include prescriptions, over-the-counter pills, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Doctors and pharmacists can adjust your medications to ensure that you feel your best while managing your health conditions and risk of falls. You should have your doctor or pharmacist review your medications each year, or more often as needed.

Hearing

If you use a hearing aid, you should check that it fits and works properly. Speak to a doctor or make an appointmentwith the hospital audiology department if you need help.

If you or an older adult in your life is experiencing hearing loss symptoms or have questions about hearing loss.

Foot sensation

It is common to experience changes to your sense of touch as you age. Changes to the skin and nerves affect how the body reacts to temperature, and the ability to notice vibration, touch, pressure and pain.

These changes in sensation can affect your balance and increase your risk of falling. Proper footwear is an important way to lower this risk. Some things to consider when choosing good footwear include:

• Wear low-heeled shoes that fit well and give your feet good support
• Use footwear with non-skid soles
• Check the heels and soles of your shoes for wear
• Repair or replace worn heels or soles
• Do not wear socks without shoes on smooth floors like wood

Low Cost Tips for Keeping your Home Warm

• To save on heating bills, close the doors of rooms you are not using. Close the vents and shut the doors in these rooms and keep the basement door closed. Place a rolled towel at the bottom of all doors to keep drafts out.
• About 30% of a home’s heating energy is lost through its windows. Keep window coverings like blinds or curtains open during the day to take advantage of the sun’s heat in the winter – especially windows that get direct sunlight. Close them at night to keep heat from escaping. If you have gaps around the windows, try using weather stripping or caulk to keep the cold air out. You can also apply inexpensive window insulation kits that create an airtight seal around windows.

I am an older adult

• Engage your support network if you need help clearing ice and snow from your property so you can keep outside walkways and steps clear of snow and ice.
• Low lighting is a major cause of falls, so make sure there is enough lighting outdoors, especially near walkways and stairs.
• Have the name and contact information of a nearby family member or friend who can regularly check in on you.
• Make sure your steps are sturdy and have textured grip to reduce falls if the weather is icy or wet.
• If you use walking aids such as a cane, walker, or a wheelchair, dry the wheels or tips of each before entering your home.
• Keep a small table or shelf near the entry door to put items while unlocking the door. This reduces distractions and dangers of slipping or tripping while trying to enter your home.
• If your home’s main entrance is often icy during the winter months, use a different entrance if you can. Stay warm by dressing warmly, and remember to eat enough food to keep yourself at a healthy weight.

I work outside or frequently do outdoor sporting activities

Be careful if you spend time outdoors, including for work. Always have a fully charged cellphone and carry a portable recharger, if possible.

If you cannot avoid extremely cold situations – including windchill – follow these recommendations to protect yourself:

• Wear several layers of loose clothing. Layering provides better insulation.
• Make sure to protect the ears, face, hands and feet in extremely cold weather. Boots should be waterproof and insulated. Wear a hat; it will keep your whole body warmer.
• Move into warm locations during work breaks and try to limit the amount of time outside on extremely cold days.
• Carry cold weather gear, such as extra socks, gloves, hats, jacket, blankets, a change of clothes and a thermos of hot liquid.
• Avoid touching cold metal surfaces with bare skin.

• Pay attention to local weather forecasts and follow advice from locals.
• Winter storms may cause power outages. 
• Talk to neighbors who may have experienced extreme winter weather in the past. They may have valuable tips and advice.
• Learn how to heat your home safely to prevent home fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Turn off and drain the water from outdoor water spigots. Disconnect and drain garden hoses and store them in a garage or shed.