gms | German Medical Science

Falls are a major health threat for elderly persons with 30% experiencing a fall in the population 65 years old and older. In the cohort older then 85 years the percentage even rises up to 40% and in institutionalised settings in about 50% a fall occur at least once a year. About 10% of falls have injuries as a consequence and in about 5% the worst case femur fractures occur. Health care is facing a rapid increase in costs based on the results of falls. Falls can lead through a dramatic spiral into loss of independence, by reducing self efficacy and increasing fear of falling.

One of the most important issues regarding this topic is the effectiveness of interventions aimed to reduce number of falls and fall frequency. Guidelines for conducting interventions are now available for planning and targeting the right population.

The workshop will address issues regarding falls research such as definition of falls and the consequences, reporting, and optaining falls. International as well as national evidence based intervention programs for community-dwelling and institutionalised older people will be discussed in depth.