Information for the public
Falls and older people
Falls and older people
The risk of falling increases with age, although not all people fall when they get older. Someone who has already had a fall is more likely to fall again in the future. Falling and the fear of falling can make older people lose confidence in going about their day to day activities, and may affect their independence. And although most falls don't result in serious injury, some cause broken bones, which may be difficult to recover from.
The NICE guideline makes recommendations on how your doctor and other healthcare professionals should assess your risk of falling and help you to avoid having a fall. The advice from NICE covers:
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how to prevent falls for all people aged 65 and over who are living in their own home, or in a residential or nursing home
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how to prevent falls during a hospital stay for all people aged 65 and over, as well as for people aged between 50 and 64 who are judged as being at higher risk of falling because of an underlying condition.