4. What steps can older people take to reduce their risk of falling? This is an important issue. Accidents are the sixth-leading cause of death in older people, and falls account for 80 percent of accidents in old age. Generally, people who fall have already had a series of minor falls and are known to be at risk for falling before they experience a bad fall. So balance problems and near-falls should be seen as medical problems that need evaluation. We don’t always have to find the cause of balance problems in order to improve the problem. Many people get caught in a vicious cycle: they almost fall, so they reduce their physical activity; then they get weaker and their balance deteriorates, so their risk of falling increases even more. Breaking that cycle is important regardless of the cause. Balance exercise programs, especially tai chi, have been proven to reduce the risk of falls. Physical therapists can assess a person's risk of falling then design a program to improve the person’s balance. Geriatric assessment clinics can evaluate an older person’s sense of balance, as well their ability to function in other areas, and recommend steps for improvement.
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