Older Adult Fall Statistics And Facts In 2024 (2024)

The risks and potential consequences of falls increase with age: Individuals aged 65 years old and older are prone to serious fall-related injuries that can affect their ability to remain independent. Meanwhile, falls are a leading cause of death in the U.S. among this age group, according to fall statistics from the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC).[1]Older Adult Falls Data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 2/15/2024.

While falls can happen, older adults and their loved ones can take preventive steps against this issue, including using medical alert systems. Read on for current fall risk statistics throughout the U.S., as well as safety tips and fall prevention guidance.

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Interesting Facts About Falls and Older Adults

  • Adults over the age of 60 have the highest rate of deaths from falls globally.
  • Approximately 20% to 30% of older adults in the U.S. who fall sustain injuries ranging from moderate to severe, including bruises, head injuries and hip fractures.
  • Insufficient vitamin D levels can reduce bone density, increasing the risk of fractures from a fall due to weak bones.[2]Keep on Your Feet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 4/23/2024.
  • Certain medications, such as antidepressants, sedatives, tranquilizers and some over-the-counter medications, can increase the risk of a fall.
  • Falls often occur due to a combination of more than one risk factor, such as trip hazards in the home, lack of Vitamin D and weak lower body strength combined with medications that can affect balance. Fall risk increases with the number of risk factors.[3]Falls. World Health Organization. Accessed 2/15/2024.
  • Breaking a bone from a fall, such as a hip fracture, can lead to disabilities that may reduce one’s independence.
  • Loss of balance and impaired reflexes caused by alcohol consumption is a common cause of falls.
  • Exercising regularly can keep muscles and bones strong and improve balance, lowering the risk of a fall.[4]Older Adult Falls. Illinois Department of Public Health. Accessed 2/15/2024.
  • Improving balance and leg strength through tai chi can help reduce the risk of falling.[5]Chen W, Li M, Li H, Lin Y, Feng Z. Tai Chi for fall prevention and balance improvement in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1236050.
  • Easy home modifications, such as removing clutter, providing bright (non-glare) lighting, installing non-slip flooring and adding non-slip mats in the tub, can reduce fall risk.[6]Home Modification Guide. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Accessed 2/15/2024.
  • Hearing loss or hearing impairment is associated with an increased risk of falling due to using more brain resources to interpret sound and speech and fewer for balance and gait, reducing awareness of the surrounding environment. Wearing a hearing aid may help reduce fall risk.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Health

How Many Older Adults Fall Each Year?

Falls are the most common cause of injury (nonfatal and fatal) among U.S. adults aged 65 or older. Annually, over 14 million older adults, equivalent to one in four, report a fall, according to the CDC—and not all falls are reported.[7]Older Adult Falls Data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 2/15/2024. 9 Moreland B, Kakara R, Haddad Y, Shakya I, Bergen G.

Meanwhile, an estimated 3 million older adults receive treatment in an emergency room due to a fall each year, per the CDC, and approximately 37% of individuals who reported a fall experienced an injury or needed to limit their activity for at least one day.[2]Keep on Your Feet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 4/23/2024.

Do Medical Alert Systems Help Prevent Falls in Older Adults?

Medical alert systems can be a lifesaving tool in the event of a fall or other medical emergency. In fact, 86% of respondents in a recent Forbes Health survey report a medical alert device “saved them or the person they cared for from an emergency incident.”

Older adults may benefit from emergency features included with some medical alert systems, such as fall detection technology, GPS monitoring and real-time, 24/7 connectivity with an agent who can quickly send help from first responders or a family member.

Older Adult Falls Reported By State

Falls can happen in any state or region, but data shows some noteworthy distinctions based on geographic location. For example, the highest number of falls among older adults occur in California, the most populous U.S. state (with over 38 million residents in 2023). In 2020, California reported 1,433,956 falls (approximately 27% of the state’s older adults), according to the CDC. Meanwhile, the District of Columbia reported just over 24,000 (30% of the state’s older adults) falls in 2020.

When it comes to the percentage of older adults who fell in 2020, Alaska ranks highest in the country at 38%, with 32,717 reported falls. Illinois claims the lowest percentage of falls among older adults, at 19.9% (399,651 falls).[4]Older Adult Falls. Illinois Department of Public Health. Accessed 2/15/2024.

At What Age Do Most Falls Occur?

The risk of falling increases with age, according to CDC data. The following statistics are represented by a crude rate of falls, which is calculated using the number of new falls in a specified population per year. The highest crude rate of nonfatal falls occurs among older adults at least 85 years old, estimated at 14,189 falls in 2021. This figure is more than double the crude rate of falls in the population of older adults aged 80 to 84 years old in the same year.

Where Do Most Falls Occur?

Most falls that result in an emergency room visit among older adults at least 65 years old occur indoors, with most taking place in the person’s home, according to an analysis of fall statistics in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.

The following are the most common locations for indoor falls:

  • Bedroom: 25%
  • Stairs: 22.9%
  • Bathroom: 22.7%
  • Kitchen/dining room: 7.2%
  • Driveway/garage: 6%
  • Yard: 5.5%
  • Living room: 4.8%
  • Porch: 3%

A higher percentage of men (81.3%) fall outdoors compared to women (28.4%).[9]Moreland B, Kakara R, Haddad Y, Shakya I, Bergen G. A Descriptive Analysis of Location of Older Adult Falls That Resulted in Emergency Department Visits in the United States. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2021;15(6):590–597.

Injuries Caused By Falls

Injuries from falls can be serious, often requiring hospitalization. Cognitive impairment, especially with individuals experiencing pain, a long illness or mood shifts, is a common cause of falls. Another cause of falls is having weak abdominal core muscles, particularly the diaphragm, which can cause back and posture instability and lead to a fall.[10]Facts About Falls. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 2/15/2024.

The most common fall injuries are hip fractures, and falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), according to the CDC.

  • In 2021, a total of 6,981,390 people were injured due to a fall, roughly 18% of which (1,254,338) were hospitalized.[11]WISQARS Explore Fatal and Nonfatal Injury Data Visualization. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 2/15/2024.
  • Each year at least 300,000 older adults are hospitalized for hip fractures.
  • More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling, often by falling sideways.
  • Falls are the most frequent cause of TBIs.[10]Facts About Falls. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 2/15/2024.

How Many People Die From Falling?

In 2021, 44,686 people died as a result of health complications from fall injuries that didn’t heal properly, with individuals aged 85 and older having the highest rates of deaths due to a fall, according to CDC data.[8]WISQARS Explore Fatal and Nonfatal Data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 2/15/2024.

Fall Deaths By State

Falls can happen in any state, but certain states report a higher rate of falls in proportion to the population. Looking at fall deaths by state in the U.S., Florida had the highest rate of fall-related fatalities per 100,000 people in 2021, followed by California, which had the second highest rate, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, according to recent CDC data. Alaska, Wyoming and Delaware had the lowest rate of fall deaths per 100,000 people.[4]Older Adult Falls. Illinois Department of Public Health. Accessed 2/15/2024.

How Much Do Older Adult Falls Cost?

The financial toll of older adult falls, including emergency room visits and other medical care and work loss, is expected to increase as the population ages.

According to CDC data:

  • In 2021, medical costs associated with nonfatal falls resulting in emergency room treatment was approximately $19.5 billion, averaging $8,869 per fall.
  • For individuals at least 60 years old, medical costs totaled $58.76 billion, averaging $53,889 per hospitalized fall.
  • The costs associated with fatal falls among individuals in the same age group totaled about $1.6 billion, an average of $38,714 per fatal fall.[14]WISQARS Cost of Injury. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 2/15/2023.

The Average Cost of Falling in Each State

The average medical cost due to falling in each state for people aged 60 and over ranges from $27,982 in Alaska, the least expensive state, to $48,809 in Wyoming, which has the highest average medical cost per fall. Following Wyoming, the states that rank highest for average medical costs from a fall include Minnesota, South Dakota, New Hampshire and North Dakota.

Ranking for the lowest average costs associated with falls, following Alaska, include Hawaii, California, New Jersey and Georgia.[14]WISQARS Cost of Injury. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 2/15/2023.

How Can Medical Alert Systems Help Save Older Adults Money?

Some medical alert systems are available without a monthly fee, though many require a monthly subscription ranging in cost from $15 to $60 or more per month, as well as any additional or upfront fees. While the annual cost for a medical alert system may seem high, the expense may save you or a loved one money in the long run.

While a medical alert system isn’t a replacement for in-home care or assistance, the device adds a cost-effective layer of support, says Jennifer L. FitzPatrick, a licensed certified social worker, CEO of Jenerations Health Education and author of Cruising Through Caregiving: Reducing the Stress of Caring for Your Loved One and Reimagining Customer Service in Healthcare.

“Home care is expensive, and family members taking time off from work isn’t always possible,” explains FitzPatrick. A medical alert system with fall detection can provide peace of mind when it’s not financially possible to hire a full-time companion or caregiver allowing older adults and their families to budget for when help in the home is most necessary, she adds.

“Falls and emergencies that aren’t attended to immediately are often the catalysts for high-cost services like 24-hour home care, assisted living and even nursing homes,” notes FitzPatrick. “The (relatively) small investment in medical alert systems is well worth it for older adults, especially those living alone.”

Knowing emergency response is available at the touch of a button can also help bring peace of mind to an older adult and their family members, but the individual has to wear or have access to the device when they fall and remember to push the button if they’re able, says Elizabeth Landsverk, M.D., a geriatrician, dementia expert and author of Living in the Moment: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Moments of Joy in Alzheimer’s and other Dementias.

Knowing the many ways to prevent falls, particularly in the home, can help reduce the risk of falling. It’s also important to get fall risk prevention assessments and advice from your doctor or another healthcare professional, advises Landsverk.

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According to the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Landsverk, tips for preventing falls include:

  • Remain mindful of potential tripping hazards when walking around the home or outdoors.
  • Receive regular assessments for fall risks with a health care provider, such as a geriatrician, primary care provider or physical therapist to screen for fall risks, advises Landsverk.
  • Keep hydrated to prevent low blood pressure and lack of balance, which can contribute to fall risk.
  • Stay physically active, choosing exercises that strengthen your core, legs and hips.
  • Always consult with a health care provider prior to beginning a new exercise routine.
  • Remove throw rugs, a common trip hazard.
  • Install grab bars in the tub and shower area, as well as beside the toilet.
  • Ensure there’s adequate lighting throughout the home and entryways to avoid trip hazards.
  • Avoid stairs when possible and consider installing a home stair lift or wheelchair ramp to prevent falls in a home with stairs.
Older Adult Fall Statistics And Facts In 2024 (2024)

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