Understanding Falls Among Older Adults

Sample size: 350 publication

Author Information

Author(s): Kehrer-Dunlap Abigail, Bollinger Rebecca, Keleman Audrey, Ances Beau, Stark Susan

Primary Institution: Washington University in St. Louis

Hypothesis

The study aims to characterize the circumstances of falls among community-dwelling older adults.

Conclusion

The study found that many falls among older adults occur outdoors and are often due to tripping while walking, particularly during times of limited attention.

Supporting Evidence

There were a total of 1,133 falls reported by 212 participants.
The majority of falls occurred outdoors (53%).
Most falls happened in the afternoon (45%).
Many falls occurred while walking or running (50%).
37% of falls were due to tripping over or catching feet on an object.
37% of falls occurred during instances of limited or divided attention.

Takeaway

Older people often fall when they are outside and not paying full attention, which can lead to serious injuries.

Methodology

Monthly, prospective fall monitoring with standardized interviews to gather circumstances of reported falls.

Participant Demographics

Cognitively normal older adults (Clinical Dementia Rating=0).

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1093/geroni/igae098.3362

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