Many Older Adults Fall at Home in Well-Lit Rooms

A study published in the Journals of Gerontology: Series A suggests older adults who fall usually suffer these falls under well-lit conditions, reports Physician's Weekly . The researchers analyzed data from weekly online surveys of older adults to learn variables contributing to 371 falls reported over a four-year span. Most falls were at home and in the bedroom. "Older people generally fall in their common rooms and in situations that seem unlikely for the simple reason that they spend too much time at home (the more you walk, the less you fall, paradoxically; balance, strength, and body awareness are better with more activity)," read a statement by Antoine Piau of Oregon Health & Science University. Four out of five falls occurred in well-lit areas. "Falls at home may also be common because people in their everyday activities are doing more than one thing at a time without being attentive to their environment such as walking down stairs while carrying a box or phone," Piau added. Nearly 90 percent of falls were due to people losing their balance, with almost 66 percent caused by a slip or trip. Eight percent of falls ultimately reduced the subjects' walking ability.