Falls Risk Assessment

For older adults, falls can be dangerous: 1 in 4 falls causes a serious injury, such as broken bones or a head injury. In fact, falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults.

Fall prevention is an important topic to consider as you get older. Physical changes, health conditions and sometimes the medications used to treat those conditions make falls more likely as you age. There are many factors that cause increased risk of falling in adults. Some factors are:

• Balance disorders
• Mobility problems (example – trouble walking or standing up)
• Chronic illnesses
• Impaired vision
• Foot problems and wearing unsafe shoes
• Mild cognitive impairment or dementia
• Medications that increase fall risk
• Home hazards
• Orthostatic hypotension
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Comorbidities

Who Needs a Fall Risk Assessment?

The American Geriatrics Society recommends yearly fall assessment screening for all adults 65 years of age and older.

What is a Fall Risk Assessment?

A fall risk assessment checks to see how likely it is that you will fall. It is mostly done for older adults. During an assessment, our therapists will test your strength, balance, and gait.

Our assessment includes:

1. An initial screening. This includes a series of questions about your overall health and if you’ve had previous falls or problems with balance, standing, and/or walking.

2. A set of tasks known as fall assessment tools. These tools test your strength, balance, and gait (the way you walk).

Your Results

The results may show you have a low, moderate, or high risk of falling. They will also show which areas may be increasing your risk for falls (e.g., gait, strength, and/or balance). Based on your results, our therapists will make recommendations to reduce your risk of falling.