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# Protecting your elderly loved ones from falls
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/protecting_your_elderly_loved_ones_from_falls_0116110512/
- Published: 2011-01-16T18:11:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:14:33.000Z
- Description: Updated American and British geriatrics society guidelines call for fall screening across older-adult care, with an exercise component in every prevention program and new checks on feet and footwear, fear of falling and the ability to carry out daily activities.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Lifestyle, Health News, #vivvo-import

New guidelines suggest fall screening and prevention should be a part of all healthcare practices for older adults. The recommendations were complied by a panel of experts with substantial knowledge, experience and publications in fall prevention and care of older patients, and were based on a systematic review of the randomized controlled trials of fall prevention interventions.

The guidelines say all interventions for preventing falls should include an exercise component. They go on to say a number of new assessments should be used, including: feet and footwear, fear of falling, and the ability to carry out daily living activities, according to the update of the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society's guidelines. 

Experts did research on meta-analyses, systematic literature reviews, randomized controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies, and cohort studies published between May 2001 and April 2008, and reviewed the RCTs published between April 2008 and July 2009.

"Falls are one of the most common health problems experienced by older adults and are a common cause of losing functional independence," said Dr. Mary Tinetti, one of the panel chairs. "Given their frequency and consequences, falls are as serious a health problem for older persons as heart attacks and strokes."

The guidelines now encourage the doctors and other health professionals to determine if their patients face fall risks by asking if they have fallen recently or if they are unsteady walking. If so, they should look for the presence of known problems such as muscle weakness, poor balance or blood pressure that drops too much on standing. If the patients have these problems, then they should receive the interventions mentioned in the guidelines.

The major recommendations for interventions are:

Multifactorial interventions including exercise for balance, gait and strength training, such as Tai Chi or physical therapy.

Reduction of fall risk factors around the patients’ activities

Cataract surgery where needed but against vision intervention as an individual approach

Medication reduction, particularly the one affects the brain such as sleeping medications and antidepressants.

Focus on raising low blood pressure and managing heart rate and rhythm abnormalities

"We found that the most effective trials for preventing falls in older people looked at multiple interventions rather than just one; previous studies have indicated that it is more effective to focus on one intervention, but because we looked at not only what recommendations were given, but also which carried out, we're confident that multifactorial interventions is the best course of action," said Dr. Mary Tinetti.

A new product designed to, among other things, help prevent patient falls will soon be on the market. The Patient Pod by Pear Health LLC is a safety system that will keep a person's most needed belongings at their fingertips. In essence The patient Pod makes it unnecessary for a older, or weaker person to have to stand, walk or struggle to find their valuables - whether in a hospital, nursing home, or living room. For more information, visit ThePatientPod.com .

Stephen Lau and editing by Aimee Keenan-Greene