Falls

A fall is defined as an event which causes a person to, unintentionally, rest on the ground or other lower level. It is distinguished from a collapse that occurs as a result of an acute medical problem. Falls can occur in a wide range of settings including homes, healthcare facilities and public spaces. The highest risk of falls is in those aged 65 and above. About 30% of people aged over 65 and about 50% of people aged over 80 fall at least once a year.

Falls are both high volume and costly for healthcare services. They account for around 40% of all ambulance call-outs to the homes of people over 65. In 2022/23, across England, there were 209,989 emergency hospital admissions due to falls. The average cost of a hospital stay for a fall admission is estimated to be around £4,088. In around 5% of cases, a fall leads to a fracture. The total cost of fragility fractures to the UK has been estimated at £4.4bn which includes £1.1 billion for social care; with hip fractures accounting for around £2 billion of this sum.

Experiencing a fall can have significant impacts on an individual’s short- and long-term health outcomes. Falling may lead to pain, injury, and even mortality. Even when falls do not result in physical injury, they can cause older people to become fearful of falling, with consequent restrictions on daily activities and the onset of functional decline. Falls prevention is therefore vitally important for maintaining the health, wellbeing and independence of older people across society.