5 Fall Prevention Tips for Your Older Adult Patients: Refresher for Primary Care
Exercise and strength/balance training are keys to protecting against falls, but careful assessments at each clinic visit may uncover other risks to address.
Data on older adult falls
More than 1 in 4 older adults fall each year, 10% multiple times and the risk increases by 50% among adults in their 80s and 90s. Falls are the lading cause of injury-related hospitalizations in adults 65+.
Tip 1. Physical Activity & Strength Training
Research has demonstrated that ~3 h of activity/week significantly enhances physical function, including improved walking speed, grip strength, balance test performance. In addition, moderate-to-vigorous activity of 36 mins/day can counteract sedentary lifestyle effects; examples include walking, dancing, water aerobics, heel-to-toe walking.
Tip 2. Home Safety Modifications
Remove environmental hazards like loose rugs, poor lighting, bathroom slips, cluttered walkways and make modifications that are proven, eg, grab bars in shower, nonslip mats on stairs, improved lighting, and organization of household items for easy reach. Do NOT forget to use footwear that provides support and is skid-proof.
Tip 3. Medication Management
Approximately 83% of adults aged 60-70 use ≥1 prescription drug; 35% use ≥5. The most common are drugs for elevated cholesterol and blood pressure, and for diabetes. The risks include drug-drug interactions, adverse effects (dizziness, confusion) that increase fall risk. A workable solution is regular medication reviews with pharmacist/geriatric-trained team.
Tip 4. Vision and Hearing Care
Current clinical guidelines recommend annual vision screenings, hearing tests every 1-3 years for adults 65+. The consequences of not following the guidance include an increased fall risk, social isolation, depression. The known barriers to access include Medicare Advantage limits of 84% vision coverage, 50%+ hearing coverage and Traditional Medicare limits of 54% vision coverage, ~25% hearing coverage. Older adults also tend to skip these exams, believing they're unnecessary.
Tip 5. Telehealth, Transportation Support
Transportation challenges pose a major barrier to healthcare access for many older adults. Telehealth may help bridge the gap via virtual visits, remote monitoring, mental health services from home. Research has found that older adults are more willing to use digital health tools when offered hands-on guidance, technology support. Coordinated transportation support is still vital when telehealth isn't feasible.
Clinical Implementation: Action Steps
1. Assessment: Screen for fall risk factors during routine visits. 2.Referrals: Connect patients with appropriate specialists (PT, pharmacist, eye/ear care). 3.Education: Discuss home safety modifications with patients and families. 4.Coordination: Facilitate medication reviews and transportation solutions. 5.Follow-up: Monitor implementation and effectiveness of interventions
Falls are a leading cause of injury, hospitalization, and loss of independence in adults aged 65 and older in the US. More than 1 in 4 adults in the age category experience a fall each year, adding up to more than 14 million fall episodes annually.1
The scope of the consequences won't be a surprise to primary care clinicians who are involved in care for their older patients who fall before, during, and after an accident: more than 3 million emergency department visits and more than 36,000 deaths occur annually as a result of falls in this population.2,3 The consequences on an individual level are no less concerning. In addition to being a precursor to loss of personal agency, later-life falls are also linked to decreased quality of life and increased risk of needing residential care.
The burden is high, but falls are not an inevitable part of aging. There is a wide range of evidence-based interventions that can reduce fall risk and support older adults in maintaining mobility and autonomy. Those typically top of mind include regular physical activity, particularly balance and strength training, and home safety modifications. Equally important, and included in the 5 reminders in the slide above, are regular reviews of medication to reduce polypharmacy and drug-drug interactions, cross disciplinary management of vision and hearing impairments, and uncomplicated access to regular health care through training on and use of telehealth technology and transportation support.
Importantly, the most successful fall prevention efforts require a multifactorial approach tailored to each individual’s risk profile. Click through this short slide show for a topline refresher on 5 of the primary areas you'll want to assess for each older patient.
References
Moreland B, Kakara R, Henry A. Trends in nonfatal falls and fall-related injuries among adults aged ≥65 years—United States, 2012–2018. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69(27):875–881.
Older adult falls data. Older adult fall prevention. CDC. Updated October 8, 2024. Accessed July 8, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. WISQARS™ Injury Data. Accessed July 8, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html