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Top 3 Reasons For Falls Among The Elderly

Most falls are not because someone trips over something.

elderly woman lifting weights in a chair

Instead, they are caused by some problem with the body or the mind. Medications, vision problems, and a weak body are the main contributors to falls. Here’s what you need to know.

Medication interactions

Certain medication have side effects that can make it difficult to walk around. Drowsiness, dizziness, and nausea are just a few examples that can happen. These effects can cause a fall, especially if a new medication has been added into the mix.

Drug interactions can also cause these effects. This is one reason why your doctor always wants to know all medications and supplements you’re taking. A drug interaction can cause side effects far worse than a single drug.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about any drugs you’re taking, especially if you’re adding a new one. Take it easy the first few days to see how your body reacts to the drugs. Medical interactions should be closely monitored, and if there is an obvious bad reaction, the doctor should be immediately contacted.

Diminished vision

Many people fall because they don’t have the depth perception or clarity of vision to know where an object is in the first place. Check your vision every single year and make sure that any prescriptions for glasses or contacts are up to date.

Another reason that people fall is that they forget that they still have on their reading glasses. Reading glasses magnify what’s in front of the reader, but they can cause problems when navigating.

Exercise levels

Muscle mass decreases over time and this causes people to become weak. All people need to exercise. It can be enough just to stay active by regularly checking on the garden, walking out to the mailbox, or making a concerted effort to walk around the house. It has to be regular. Exercise makes people more flexible, stronger, and have more balance. A strong body can help prevent falls or make them less serious.

The amount of exercise you need may be much less than you think. If you’re exercise adverse, talk with your doctor to learn about how much you really need, and simple exercises you can do to keep your muscle mass and coordination.

Falls among the elderly are the top reason that folks press their Medical Care Alert button, half with injuries and half that just need help getting up. You can read some of the actual emergency transcripts here by clicking this link. Learn more about automatic fall detection medical alert systems here, or search online with hashtag #NoFalls.


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