Every September, during the first week of fall, the aging network across the country observes Falls Prevention Awareness Week. The Administration for Community Living describes it as a nationwide observance where state coalitions and community organizations work to raise awareness about preventing falls and helping older adults live without the fear of falling.
For families in Georgia, it is a useful annual prompt to walk through a parent’s home and look at it the way a physical therapist would.
Why one fall changes everything
The numbers explain the urgency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over 14 million older adults, or 1 in 4, report falling every year. About 37 percent of those who fall report an injury that required medical treatment or restricted their activity for at least one day, which adds up to roughly nine million fall injuries annually.
The trend is moving in the wrong direction. The age adjusted fall death rate among older adults rose from 64.7 per 100,000 in 2018 to 78.4 per 100,000 in 2024, an increase of about 21 percent in six years.
Falls also drive an enormous amount of hospital activity. The CDC counts about 3 million emergency department visits and about 1 million hospitalizations each year from older adult falls, including nearly 319,000 hospitalizations for hip fractures. Falls are also the most common cause of traumatic brain injury.
Perhaps the most important detail for families: falling once doubles the chances of falling again.
The room by room walkthrough
Entryways and hallways. Look for loose rugs, cords running across walking paths, and cluttered floors. The CDC recommends removing tripping hazards outright rather than working around them.
Stairs. Handrails should run along both sides of every staircase and should be secure enough to hold a person’s full weight. Lighting matters here more than anywhere else in the house.
Bathrooms. Grab bars belong near the toilet and inside the tub or shower. A towel bar is not a grab bar and will pull out of the wall under load.
Bedrooms. A lamp or light switch should be reachable from the bed. Many falls happen during a nighttime trip to the bathroom.
Lighting throughout. The CDC specifically recommends adding brighter bulbs and more light fixtures across the home.
The parts of fall prevention that are not about the house
Home modifications only address part of the risk.
Medication review. Ask the prescribing doctor to review every medication, including anything bought without a prescription, for side effects like dizziness or drowsiness.
Vision. Annual eye exams matter. The CDC also notes that bifocal or progressive lenses can make objects seem closer or farther away than they really are, so a pair of distance only glasses can be safer for walking outdoors.
Strength and balance. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week for adults 65 and older, plus at least two days of muscle strengthening activities and regular balance work such as walking heel to toe or practicing standing up from a seated position. Tai chi is named specifically as a good option for leg strength and stability.
A conversation with the doctor. Vitamin D supplementation and osteoporosis screening are both worth asking about.
Where in home support fits
Many falls happen during the exact tasks a caregiver can assist with, such as getting in and out of the shower, carrying laundry up stairs, or reaching for something on a high shelf. Abundant Life Assisted Services provides personal care and companion care throughout Georgia, including hands on assistance with bathing, dressing, and mobility, which removes many of these high risk moments from a senior’s day.
If a parent has already had one fall, or has started avoiding activities out of fear of falling, that is the moment to talk about support rather than after the second one. Learn more at alascare.com.
Sources
- Administration for Community Living, Falls Prevention Awareness Week: https://acl.gov/programs/falls-prevention-awareness-week
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Older Adult Falls Data: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Facts About Falls: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Older Adult Fall Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/prevention/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults: https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/older-adults.html
