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| Image by Alexander Delaunoy via Creative Commons |
In the fourteen years that I have been maintaining this blog, I have written about falls just a handful of times. In 2026, the issue is more salient for me because three of my six children's grandparents have been falling with serious consequences.
- My mother (in her late 80s) is falling about once a month that my sisters and I know of. In February, she fell and broke her arm in three places near the wrist. A decade earlier, she fell and damaged her knee.
- My step-mother (in her mid 80s) has muscle wasting and dementia. She has falling repeatedly, causing a broken hip and several broken teeth.
- My step-father (aged 91) fell and hit his head in January, causing a brain bleed that led to his death eight days later. He was living with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (which includes gait problems and cognition problems). Additionally, he had the flu that made him even more unsteady.
These falls, however, are not just limited to my own aging relatives. This is a problem that many older adults experience. According to 2024 data provided by the CDC and reported by the National Safety Council aka NSC (an NGO), "43,020 individuals aged 65 and older died as a result of preventable falls." To put this number in context, this represents an upward trend for deaths:
"Over the past 10 years, the number of fall-related deaths among older adults [in the US] has increased by 51% while emergency department visits have risen by 38%. In contrast, the number of fall deaths among individuals younger than 65 has increased by only 8%, and emergency department visits for this age group have decreased by 26%."
To see a graph depicting this trend, visit this link (which is the same NSC link above).
Why the upward trend?
The biggest reason for increased fall is this: more people are living into late life with frailty. They may have one or more of the following risk factors (many of which are listed in this 2012 post):
- Improper footwear, flip-flops, slippers, high heels, etc.
- Osteoporosis, making their bones brittle
- Arthritis, limiting their mobility and reaction time
- Neuropathy, limiting gait and feeling in the feet
- Poor foot health, causing loss of feeling in the feet, shuffling, etc.
- Medication side effects, sleeping pills such as Ambien increase fall risk
- Vision problems, inhibiting seeing cords, rugs, pets, etc. in their walking path
- Substance abuse, limiting mobility, vision, and cognition
- Illness, such as undiagnosed UTI
- Cognitive impairment, due to dementias, delirium, polypharmacy, etc.
For both my step-father and my step-mother, their cognitive problems led to them forgetting to use their walkers. My mother also refused to use her walker because it was a hassle. However, after breaking her arm, she has started using a cane.
Prevention is key. In addition to addressing the issues above, here is a link to CDC's page on fall prevention.
I am working to maintain muscle mass, including working on core strength. I also do not take sleeping aids. I have about four issues with my feet, so I rarely wear high heels. (Out of vanity, I sometimes where a low heel, but I take extra care.) According to the CDC, 1:4 people aged 65 and above have a fall (that they report) each year. (I've seen the rate of 1:3 reported in textbooks about aging.)
I'm in my mid-60s. Falls area probably in my future, but I am going to do my best to prevent serious falls.
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