Falls in the elderly

Increasing age leads to an increased risk for both fall and fracture. Debility sufficient to result in institutionalization may double that risk. Multiple risk factors have been identified which are clinically useful in defining individual patient's potential for fall and careful history and physical examination is sufficient to identify most of those risk factors. While falling may be an unavoidable part of a lifetime human experience, the risk of falling should be reduced and its secondary morbidity lessened with a preventive and functionally oriented approach. That approach requires minimal additional resources, but is likely to provide tremendous benefit for both individual patients and the larger society.