[Psychological factors in falls in elderly patients]

This article recognizes the high incidence and prevalence of falls in the elderly. Psychological factors can play a definite role as part of the etiology. The fall can be a depressive signal or a cry for help from a demoralized elderly patient. The authors stress the importance of recognizing the depressive syndrome of the elderly. Psychological consequences of the falls are reviewed at three different levels. For the elderly, the consequences are frequently a fear that can lead to a sharp decrease in functional capacity. For the family, the fall can lead to the institutionalization of the elderly or a very restrictive surveillance. For the family physician, the fall is frequently perceived as an emergency that leads to immediate unwarranted admission. A rational approach, with education and guidelines, is proposed and can render this traumatic experience less dramatic at these three different levels.