NICE (2013) defines a fall as an unintentional or unexpected loss of balance resulting in coming to rest on the floor, the ground, or an object below knee level.
The patients most at risk of falls tend to be of advancing age and frailty with debilitating co-morbidities and reduced bone mineral density, meaning that falls with even a modest impact of force can inflict significant trauma upon a patient.
Learning bite
Falls occur when a patient lands below knee level. Advancing age and frailty make it a common and potentially dangerous occurrence.
Approximately what proportion of patients aged over 65 years of age are affected by falls episodes?