Falls are a serious risk for older adults, with one in three falling each year. The document outlines the top five reasons for falls - medication side effects, illness/weakness, lack of fitness, home hazards, and chronic conditions. It recommends addressing each reason through medication management, physical activity and home safety improvements to prevent falls from occurring.

1. Each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls and the results can be life-altering. That’s why it’s
important to recognize the top reasons that falls occur and identify steps you and your family can take to address
these reasons before a fall happens.
FOCUS
ON FALLS:
Five ways to
address the
top reasons
for falling
MEDICATION SIDE
EFFECTS, BEING
OVER/UNDER-
MEDICATED AND
MEDICATION
INTERACTIONS
ILLNESS, FATIGUE
AND/OR WEAKNESS
LACK OF PHYSICAL
FITNESS/STRENGTH
ENVIRONMENTAL
HAZARDS IN
THE HOME
SIDE EFFECTS
AND/OR SYMPTOMS
OF CHRONIC
CONDITIONS
Remind your loved one to take their medication or enlist a licensed agency
who can help with medication management. Pill reminder boxes can also help.
Be sure to ask their doctor or pharmacist to review their medications - both
prescriptions and over-the-counter - to identify medicines that may cause side
effects or interactions. Be particularly observant when a new medication is
added or an existing medication is increased.
If your loved one is weak, tired or ill, help them get out of bed to go to the
bathroom and walk around or partner with an agency to provide them with this
support in getting around. Encourage adequate intake of foods and fluids.
A loved one who has fallen before, even if they weren’t injured, could develop
a fear of falling that threatens to limit their activity and make them less mobile.
Many families don’t realize that this, in turn, could result in a loss of physical
fitness and actually increase their risk of falling. Encourage muscle and balance
exercises like yoga and tai chi.
Do what you can to improve safety around your loved one’s home by reducing
tripping hazards, adding grab bars inside and outside of the tub or shower and
next to the toilet, adding railings on both sides of stairways and improving the
lighting where needed.
One of the most important ways to reduce the risk of falling in an elderly loved
one with a chronic condition is to understand the disease process and help
them to follow the treatment plan, get to doctor appointments and know red
flag alerts. Enlist a licensed agency for condition-specific education and
health monitoring.
Independently Owned and Operated
Learn more at www.brightstarcare.com/range-of-care/elderly-fall-prevention.
BrightStar Care of Encinitas/San Diego
858-777-9525
9606 Tierra Grande St. #201, San Diego, CA 92126

2. MEDICATION SIDE
EFFECTS, BEING
OVER/UNDER-
MEDICATED AND
MEDICATION
INTERACTIONS
ILLNESS,
FATIGUE AND/OR
WEAKNESS
LACK OF
PHYSICAL
FITNESS/
STRENGTH
ENVIRONMENTAL
HAZARDS IN
THE HOME
SIDE EFFECTS
AND/OR
SYMPTOMS
OF CHRONIC
CONDITIONS
We provide the full continuum of care in the home.
Our BrightStar Care Registered Nurses (RNs) can provide medication oversight and the
strategies for organizing medications to stay on track. We can provide the full continuum
of care, so our experienced RNs can even help with medication management.
Our RN performs a comprehensive health assessment, including evaluation of
fall risk, for every client.
The findings of initial and subsequent assessments are woven into individualized plans
and implemented by Caregivers that are specially trained in fall risk reduction and caring
for those who are weak or ill in a gentle, safe way. Our plan of care and Certified Nursing
Assistant (CNA) notes specifically address fall risk.
Individualized plans of care can use creative methods to help clients stay active
and build strength and balance.
One way we promote safety and wellness is by keeping clients active and focusing on
physical fitness to build strength and balance. Individualized plans of care can include
exercises like bending, stretching and other targeted movements based on the individual
abilities of the client. We also work with physical and occupational therapists to help clients
regain/maintain strength.
We actively strive to meet Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals.
As one of the only national brands to pursue Joint Commission accreditation for all
locations, BrightStar follows National Patient Safety Goals, one of which is on fall prevention
with a focus on environmental safety hazards. Our Home Safety Checklist assessment helps
us to identify environmental hazards both indoors and outdoors and implement proactive
measures into the plan of care to reduce fall risk related to these hazards.
Our Caregivers are competency verified to care for people with
chronic conditions.
We have a unique expertise in caring for and helping clients and their families to manage
chronic conditions. Through our BrightStar Clinical PathwaysSM
Program, our Caregivers are
competency verified to care for specific chronic conditions, from pneumonia and diabetes
to heart failure, COPD, dementia and more.
BRIGHTSTAR
CARE®
FOCUS
ON FALLS:
Pairing Clinical
Expertise and
Patient Education to
Decrease Fall Risk
Independently Owned and Operated
Learn more about how BrightStar Care can help you recognize and reduce
fall risk at www.brightstarcare.com/range-of-care/elderly-fall-prevention.
BrightStar Care of Encinitas/San Diego
858-777-9525
9606 Tierra Grande St. #201, San Diego, CA 92126