MENU

AskIFAS Powered by EDIS

Español

Fall Prevention: Who's at Risk?

Sergio Romero and Linda B. Bobroff

 

Figure 1. Speak with your health care provider about conditions or medications that may affect your risk of falling.
Figure 1.  Speak with your health care provider about conditions or medications that may affect your risk of falling.
Credit: iStock/Thinkstock.com

There are many risk factors associated with falls. Some risks are environmental, like poor lighting, while others relate to diseases people have or medications they take. Take this quiz to see if you are at high risk for falling! For each question, circle "Yes" or "No."

Table 1. 

Do you take more than two medications daily?

Yes / No

Have you or those around you noticed a change in your hearing?

Yes / No

Do you wear glasses or have any vision problems?

Yes / No

Have you fallen in the past year?

Yes / No

Do you have one or more of the following: Parkinson's disease, stroke, high blood pressure, urinary incontinence, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, or another neuromuscular disease?

Yes / No

Do you get dizzy when you get up, change position, or walk?

Yes / No

Do you have trouble picking up objects from the floor, reaching overhead, getting in and out of a chair, or walking without holding on to something?

Yes / No

Do you have throw rugs, stairs without rails, uneven surfaces, slippery floors, or cluttered walkways in your house?

Yes / No

Are you fearful of falling?

Yes / No

Do you wear shoes with high heels or slippery soles?

Yes / No

Do you have poor lighting conditions in your house?

Yes / No

If you answered "Yes" to any of the questions, you may be at high risk for falling. The more questions you answered “yes” to, the higher your risk of falling. Ask your health care provider about modifications and actions you can take to reduce your risk of falling. You can also find tips for preventing falls at home in Fall Prevention: Solutions for Your Home (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FY734).

Also Available in: Español

Publication #FCS2227

Release Date:May 11, 2022

Related Experts

Romero, Sergio

University of Florida

Bobroff, Linda B.

Specialist/SSA/RSA

University of Florida

Related Collections

Part of Fall Prevention series (ENAFS)

Fact Sheet
General Public

About this Publication

This document is FCS2227 (la versión en español de este documento es Prevención de Caídas: ¿Quién está a riesgo? (FCS2227-Span)), one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date April 2005. Revised February 2010 and November 2014. Reviewed August 2017. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication

About the Authors

Sergio Romero, MS, ATC, former ENAFS education assistant; and Linda B. Bobroff, PhD, RDN, professor, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Contacts

  • LaToya O'Neal
  • Wendy Wood