Falls: are rural elders at greater risk?

1. Advocating that elderly clients engage exclusively in behaviors that are free of risks may not always advance the goals of independence, autonomy, and a maximal level of functioning. 2. Falls in the elderly may not be primary events, but indicators of an as yet undetected decline in health, suggesting that the health care provider tailor fall prevention information to the specific lifestyle of the older adult. 3. There may be a range of safe and acceptable risk depending on the lifestyles and the demands of daily living.