Falls and injurious falls late in home-dwelling life

Of the Finnish persons aged 85 years or older, living at home, 555 (67% of this age class) were monitored for two years to describe the circumstances and the frequency of falls and injury-causing falls. The incidence rates of falls, major soft tissue injuries and fractures were 1039 (95% confidence interval = CI: 974-1093), 74 (58-92) and 89 (72-108), respectively. The incidence of falls was higher among women 1127 (1055-1199) than among men 755 (651-870), but only among those younger than 90 years. The probability of getting injured in a fall was higher in the morning (p = 0.010) and in the evening (p = 0.007) as compared to the daytime. More injury-causing falls than other falls were non-defined as regards ongoing activity at the time of fall (p < 0.001) and type of falling (p < 0.001). Ongoing activity and type of falling did not discriminate injury-causing falls from other falls after exclusion of the non-defined falls. We conclude that incidence of falls among the home-dwelling elderly increases up to the oldest ages, especially among the men. Time of day affects the occurrence of injuries in falls. Ongoing activity and type of falling play a minor role in falls causing injuries among the most elderly.