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Last updated: June 4, 2024
Everyone experiences changes as they get older that can increase the risk of falls and fall-related injuries. There are small changes you can make to prevent falls that will help you remain active and independent as you age.
On this page:
- Assess your risk
- Improve strength and balance
- Make your home safer
- Review your medications
- Check for sensory impairments
- Fall prevention videos
- Additional resources
Assess your risk
Older adults with frailty are the most likely to experience falls and fall related injures; however, anyone can fall. In British Columbia, 1 in 3 older adults experience falls every year. About 10 to 15 percent of these falls result in serious injuries like broken bones.
It's normal to feel embarrassed after having a fall. However, discussing the circumstances of your slip or trip with a healthcare provider can provide useful information for prevention.
There is a British Columbia Clinical Practice Guideline to support doctors and nurse practitioners in screening and assessing fall risk among older adults aged 65 and older. These guidelines will help your healthcare team work with you to lower your risk of falling.
Learn more about about frailty in older adults.
Staying Independent Checklist:
The Staying Independent Checklist will help you determine your risk of future falls with a few simple questions. You can use this checklist and your score to start a conversation about fall prevention with your healthcare provider, or with friends and family.
Download PDF:
Improve your strength and balance
As you age, your body can lose strength and your reflexes may slow down, making a fall more likely. The good news is that anyone can lower their risk of falling by doing activities that improve their strength and balance. The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommends that all adults do strength activities for all major muscle groups at least twice a week. The guidelines recommend adults 65 and older also do activities that challenge balance. Besides preventing falls, physical activity can also improve your ability to complete daily tasks, mood, sleep, energy, and memory.
Learn about increasing physical activity as you get older.
Strength and Balance for Life
Strength and Balance for Life (STABL) is a set of activity resources that support the wellbeing and independence of older adults by reducing the risk of falling. They include:
- Goal setting information
- A tracking sheet to record progress
- Strength and balance activities
These resources will help you determine whether it's safe to start new physical activity, how to safely engage in physical activity with different conditions/symptoms, and which level to start at. You can read the overview below.
Download PDF:
Goal setting
When it comes to lifestyle change, it can be helpful to ask, “why am I doing this?” and “what is important to me?”. Use this worksheet to reflect on these questions and help set realistic goals.
Download PDF:
Tracking progress
Use the tracking sheet to help you record your progress on the STABL activities.
Download PDF:
Strength and balance activities to do at home
There are three different levels of activities you can do at home to improve your body strength and balance. These exercises promote upper and lower body strength and safeguard against falls and fall-related injuries to the head, neck, and spinal cord. Start slowly and work up to doing these activities 2 to 3 times a week.
Learn 7 activities that start with sitting tall in your chair.
Level 1 (PDF):
Learn 7 activities that start with standing tall with both hands on a counter for support.
Level 2 (PDF):
Learn 7 activities that start with standing tall beside a counter.
Level 3 (PDF):
Make your home safer
Most falls among older adults happen at home. There may be fall risks both inside and outside the home, like tripping hazards and improper lighting. You can use the Home Safety Checklist to assess the safety of your home and help minimize your risk of falling.
Download PDF:
Learn more about making your home fall-proof and getting up safely after a fall.
Review your medications
Some medications can increase the risk of falling. The way medications affect you can change with age.
As you get older, some medications, or combinations of medications, might make you feel drowsy, dizzy, or unsteady on your feet. This can include prescriptions, over-the-counter pills, vitamins and herbal supplements.
Doctors and pharmacists can adjust your medications to ensure that you feel your best while managing your health conditions and risk of falls. You should have your doctor or pharmacist review your medications each year, or more often as needed.
Learn more about high-risk medications and medication safety in older age.
Manage sensory impairments
Reduced vision, hearing loss and changes in sensation are common among older adults and can put you at a higher risk of falling.
Vision
At age 65 and older, you should have a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year. Many of the conditions that cause vision loss do not have symptoms. Eye problems can best be detected with an eye exam. MSP covers the cost of a yearly eye exam for older adults.
Visit BC Doctors of Optometry to find an optometrist near you.
Read more about changes to your vision.
Hearing
If you use a hearing aid, you should check that it fits and works properly. Speak to a doctor or make an appointmentwith the hospital audiology department if you need help.
If you or an older adult in your life is experiencing hearing loss symptoms or have questions about hearing loss, you can call 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse for advice. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can call 7-1-1 to access the Teletypewriter (TTY) relay service.
Foot sensation
It is common to experience changes to your sense of touch as you age. Changes to the skin and nerves affect how the body reacts to temperature, and the ability to notice vibration, touch, pressure and pain.
These changes in sensation can affect your balance and increase your risk of falling. Proper footwear is an important way to lower this risk. Some things to consider when choosing good footwear include:
- Wear low-heeled shoes that fit well and give your feet good support
- Use footwear with non-skid soles
- Check the heels and soles of your shoes for wear
- Repair or replace worn heels or soles
- Do not wear socks without shoes on smooth floors like wood
Fall prevention educational videos
The following videos were developed to provide information to older adults, friends, family and caregivers to reduce the risk of falls and fall-related injuries.
Watch these evidence-informed videos to learn about normal age-related changes, ageism, fall risk factors and prevention strategies.
This video talks about normal changes to the body during aging and how they can increase the risk of falling. You will also learn about ageism, and how it can impact the health and wellbeing of older adults.
This video covers strategies that any older adult, caregiver, friend or family member can take to reduce fall risk. It covers topics like biological, behavioural, socio-economic and environmental risk factors.
If you or someone you know is at risk of falling, this video covers how to support yourself and others to increase activity and independence while aging.
Additional resources
For more information and strategies on fall prevention check out the following links: