Fall Prevention
Falls aren't inevitable. Here's how to prevent them
Falls are the number one cause of injury-related emergency room visits for adults over 65 in Toronto. Each year, approximately one in three seniors experiences a fall, and the consequences can be severe: fractures, head injuries, loss of confidence, and loss of independence. But falls are not an inevitable part of aging.
The Otago Exercise Program, developed through decades of clinical research, reduces fall risk by 35-40% in elderly adults. Combined with home safety modifications and targeted balance training, most falls are preventable. An Arcadia Rehab therapist delivers these evidence-based programs in your home, building the strength and confidence that keep you on your feet.
Risk factors
Why do seniors fall? Key risk factors
Understanding risk factors is the first step to prevention. Most are modifiable, meaning the right intervention can reduce or eliminate them.
Muscle weakness
Reduced leg and core strength makes it harder to recover balance when you stumble.
→ Strength and balance exercise programs
Poor balance
Age-related decline in balance systems (inner ear, vision, proprioception).
→ Balance-specific training with an RST
Medication side effects
Many common medications cause dizziness, drowsiness, or blood pressure drops.
→ Medication review with your doctor + exercise
Home hazards
Loose rugs, poor lighting, cluttered walkways, slippery bathroom surfaces.
→ In-home safety assessment and modifications
Fear of falling
Paradoxically, fear of falling reduces activity, which increases weakness and fall risk.
→ Gradual confidence-building exercise programs
Vision problems
Poor vision makes it harder to see obstacles, judge distances, and navigate safely.
→ Vision correction + environmental modifications
Guides & resources
Fall prevention resources
After a Fall: What to Do When Your Parent Falls at Home
Immediate steps, when to call 911, and how to prevent the next fall.
Home Safety Checklist: 25 Fall Hazards in Your Parent's Home
Room-by-room checklist with practical fixes for every hazard.
Fear of Falling: Breaking the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
How fear reduces activity, increases weakness, and raises fall risk, and how to break the cycle.
Balance Exercises for Seniors: Evidence-Based Home Routine
Step-by-step exercises using Otago principles that reduce fall risk.
When fall risk requires daily supervision
Exercise-based fall prevention is effective for most seniors. But when fall risk is high enough to require daily supervision beyond exercise programs, our sister service Arcadia Home Care provides trained personal support workers who can be there daily to ensure safety.
FAQ
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Very effective. The Otago Exercise Program, the gold standard for fall prevention, has been shown to reduce falls by 35-40% in clinical trials. Consistent balance and strength training is the single most effective intervention for preventing falls in elderly adults.
Stay calm. Check for injuries, especially head injuries, hip pain, or wrist pain. If your parent can't get up, don't force them. Call 911 if there's a head injury, severe pain, or they can't get up. After a fall, even without serious injury, book a fall risk assessment to prevent the next one.
Yes. Most falls are preventable. Research shows that a combination of exercise (especially balance and strength training), home safety modifications, medication review, and vision correction can significantly reduce fall risk. The key is starting before the first fall, not after.
Muscle weakness, particularly in the legs and core, is the single biggest modifiable risk factor for falls. The good news: strength can be rebuilt at any age with appropriate exercise programs.
Start with the bathroom (grab bars, non-slip mats, raised toilet seat), remove loose rugs, improve lighting (especially hallways and stairs), clear clutter from walkways, and ensure handrails on all stairs. Our home safety checklist covers 25 specific hazards to address.
Start a fall prevention programme
An Arcadia Rehab therapist will assess fall risk and design a programme that builds the strength and balance to prevent falls.