2022, Vol. 9, Issue 6, Part F

Falls are one of the major problems in the elderly and are considered one of the “Geriatric Giants”. Recurrent falls are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. In developed countries, one in every three older adults aged 65years and above fall every year. Injuries resulting in decreased mobility and independence will occur in 20 - 30%of those who falls. The aged in Kerala constitute 11% of the population. The Kerala Ageing survey, conducted among more than 5000 elderly in 14 districts of Kerala, was the keystone of study. The result of the survey have shown that the age of participants ranged from 60 to over 100 years of age with 54% being women. The result of the study show that falls and fractures are a significant issue among older adults. There is an increase in older population due to high life expectancy and increased life span. Fall related injuries are common, result in considerable health care utilization and are a major cause of long term pain and functional impairments among older adults. The risk factors include:

Muscle weakness or balance problems

Medication side effects

Chronic health conditions like arthritis and stroke

Inactivity

Alcohol use

Poor lighting

Lack of stair railing

Lack of grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower

Poor designed public places

Fall related injuries may eventually result in many long term complications like pressure ulcer, hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP), urinary tract infections, and lower extremity venous thromboembolism (VTE) and even disability or deaths, especially in patients with comorbidity.