Understanding why we fall when we get older and how to mitigate the risks

Falls are the most common reason older adults are hospitalised, but there are ways to build strength and prevent them

Falls are the most common cause of fractures among older adults, and often lead to reduced mobility, loss of independence, and hospital admission

Age brings many health concerns, but the fear of falling almost certainly increases with each passing year. Already the most common reason for older adults to be admitted to the hospital, falls are on the rise. Ireland has one of the fastest ageing populations in Europe, and recent statistics from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), published in the journal BMJ Open, revealed how falls are taking their toll on society, with one in eight older people in Ireland requiring medical attention for a fall each year.

As the most common cause of fractures among older adults, falls are a leading contributor to reduced mobility, loss of independence, and hospital admission — and the reality is that without intervention, those who fall once are at significantly increased risk of doing so again.