Falls in older people are caused by a range of interacting factors including personal/intrinsic factors (for example: poor balance and loss of strength) and environmental/extrinsic factors (for example: clutter in the home or garden or uneven ground).
Studies have shown that certain single risk factors are significantly associated with an increased risk of falls and falls injury for example: balance. However, individuals with more than one risk factor will have an increased risk of falls compared to individuals with one risk factor [1].
To achieve a holistic view of the causes of falls, additional factors need to be considered. This might be achieved by using the ecological model [12].
The ecological model considers a diverse range of factors including age, gender, economic status, marital status and social, living and working conditions. These factors are the underlying influences of health and disease, known as the social determinants of health.
When considering the contributing factors, you will need to determine what can and cannot be changed.
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