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Part of the book series: Practical Issues in Geriatrics ((PIG))

Abstract

A third of people aged over 65 years of age fall each year and falls are one of the leading causes for hospitalization and years living with disability. Group and home-based exercise programs that combine balance and moderate intensity strength training are effective to reduce falls in older people. People who present for medical attention because of a fall, or report recurrent falls in the past year, or demonstrate abnormalities of gait and/or balance should be offered a multifactorial falls risk assessment and individualized, targeted interventions that comprise the management of specific causes of gait/balance and muscle strength disturbances, prescription of vitamin D supplements when blood level of vitamin D is low, measures to improve home safety, a review of medications, vision optimization, insertion of a pacemaker in case of carotid sinus hypersensitivity, and multifaceted podiatry.

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Blain, H., Bernard, P.L., Boubakri, C., Bousquet, J. (2019). Fall Prevention. In: Michel, JP. (eds) Prevention of Chronic Diseases and Age-Related Disability. Practical Issues in Geriatrics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96529-1_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96529-1_15

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-96528-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-96529-1

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