World guidelines for falls prevention and management for older adults: a global initiative

‘It takes a child one year to acquire independent movement and ten years to acquire independent mobility. An old person can lose both in a day’ – Professor Bernard Isaacs (1924–1995)

This quote from Bernard Isaacs portrays the unfortunate consequences that an older adult may experience after a single fall. Falls occur at all ages and are an inevitable part of a bipedal gait and physical activity. They occur in 30% of adults aged over 65 years annually, for whom the consequences are more serious, despite concerted efforts of researchers and clinicians to understand, assess and manage their risks and causes. In addition to personal distress, falls and fall-related injuries are a serious health care problem because of their association with subsequent morbidity, disability, hospitalisation, institutionalisation and mortality.

Download the Guideline