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What Causes Elderly People to Fall?

Lack of Sleep a Primary Cause of Falling Accidents among Seniors

Jul 7, 2009 Mary King

Seniors are prone to falls because of health ailments that normally occur with advanced aging. Poor sleep habits and environmental conditions can cause falls, too.

Persons over the age of 65 are prone to falling accidents due to a variety of environmental causes, plus age-related physical and neurological reasons. In an article published by the magazine, Advance for Physical Therapy and PT Assistants, (June 15, 2009, p. 28), physical therapy assistant Marcia Veach, in the article "Before the Fall" states, "More than 11 million seniors in the U.S. experience falls each year – that's one in every three people over age 65."

Common Reasons Elderly Persons Fall

It's not just in their own homes that elderly persons are at risk for dangerous falls. Seniors fall in public places and in nursing facilities, too. Many elderly people don't see as well as younger adults, and may not move as quickly as they once did or with the same agility.

Complications of old age are often compounded by stroke, disease, or some other physical ailment. Sometimes persons advanced in age get confused as to where they are; as a result of anxiety, many seniors are not as careful moving about the surrounding area – even familiar places. Common reasons elderly persons fall:

Lack of sleep due to living conditions, health issues, or insomnia.
Walking in unfamiliar territory.
Walking over uneven terrain, or in a poorly lit area.
Walking on slippery floor surfaces such as in the bathroom, or slipping in the kitchen.
Using area rugs that are not skid-resistant.
Tripping over pets.
Inability to navigate around small children and/or toys.
Moving too fast or moving suddenly.
Distractions.
Medications.
Poor eyesight.
Poor walking gait. Stiff muscles and sore joints impair a smooth walking rhythm.
Poor balance due to the aging process or some other reason.
Compromised coordination due to any number of deteriorating health conditions, including mental disorders, physical disease, and/or obesity.

Seniors Who Don't Get Enough Sleep are at Risk for Falls

The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7 to 8 hours per night, but seniors – including those living in nursing homes – are at risk for falls related to poor sleep habits. In the same article, Veach refers to Dr. Richard Marcus, a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, who states, "Those who are in an assisted living facility or skilled nursing facility are also prone to increased nighttime awakenings, because all too often they spend much of the day just sitting ... That leads to frequent dozing and inadequate physical activity."

Seniors living at home may experience fragmented sleep during the night even if they are relatively active during the day. Many get up during the night to go to the bathroom or to take medication. Falls occur at night when the elderly person is not quite alert – is not paying attention – and might trip or lose his balance, even in familiar surroundings. During the day, sleep deprivation slows reaction time, and dulls the senses. Lack of sleep affects coordination – can result in an unsteady walking gait in an older person – thereby increasing the risk of a fall.

Preventing Falls in Older People

Educating seniors to the causes of falling before a falling incident occurs is the best prevention against falling accidents. Informing concerned caregivers of potential risks around the home and in the environment may help the elderly resident to avoid a fall. A review of medications and treating problematic sleep situations in the elderly person may help reduce the risk of falling accidents. The use of walking aids and therapeutic intervention may decrease falling risks, as well.

Elderly persons can fall for many reasons; some causes are more obvious than others. Older people are often forgetful, or are inattentive to dangers in the home. Inadequate housing can increase the probability of falling for an elderly resident. Poor sleep habits can impede physical and mental functions which in turn can cause falling accidents among seniors. The best defense against dangerous falls is education and attention to surroundings, and careful monitoring of health conditions that may impair physical function.

The copyright of the article What Causes Elderly People to Fall? in General Medicine is owned by Mary King. Permission to republish What Causes Elderly People to Fall? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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