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Falls: Prevention and Management

  • Sunita PaulEmail author
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Abstract

  • Falls are common in older people—30% of people over 65 years of age and 50% of people over 80 years of age are likely to fall within the next year, the fifth leading cause of death in elderly.

  • Five percent of older fallers will have a major injury such as fractured neck of the femur, subdural hematoma, etc.

  • Following a fall 30–40% of fallers develop fear of falling and curtail their activities.

  • Falls are expensive, and there needs to be a 66% reduction in incidence of falls to maintain current healthcare costs.

  • Falls are preventable, and a systematic approach to identifying risks and addressing them in a concerted manner is key to prevention.

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© The Editor(s)  2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Middlemore HospitalAuckalndNew Zealand

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