Preventing Older Adult Falls and Fall Injuries
Each year more than one in four older adults, ages 65 and older, experience a fall, resulting in about 3 million emergency department visits, 1 million hospitalizations and 32,000 deaths. Many of these falls are preventable. The CDC Foundation, with technical support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has developed user-friendly fall prevention resources for older adults and their caregivers. Learn more at CDC.gov/falls.
Concerned about yourself or a loved one falling? Quickly check your fall risk to prevent falls and enjoy life by visiting the Falls Free CheckUp.
Ready to take action to prevent falls? Create a free, custom fall prevention plan for yourself or a loved one with the Living Injury-Free from Falls Every Day (LIFE) Tool. Stay active, stay safe and enjoy LIFE!
This program received financial support from Amgen from 2020-2023. From 2023-2024, a related project, “Fall Prevention Planning Tool Development” was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $500,000 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
- National Council on Aging
- United States of America
Partner Toolkit
Share resources for falls and fall injury prevention:
Download the Fall Prevention Partner Toolkit
This toolkit is designed for partner organizations to help promote the Falls Free CheckUp to older adults (65+) and their caregivers. Please use this content and resources within your organization's communications.
Use these social media graphics and video to share resources on the Falls Free CheckUp on social media platforms.
Resources
Falls Free CheckUp Conference Card
Use the screening tool to learn about your risk for falls.
MyMobility
Use the planning tool to help you take the necessary steps to keep yourself or your loved ones safe, mobile, and independent tomorrow.
STEADI Older Adult Materials
CDC’s STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries) initiative for healthcare providers includes educational materials and tools to help them discuss falls with their older patients and their caregivers.
Older Adult Fall Prevention Fact Sheet
This CDC fact sheet summarizes the growing but preventable problem of falls among older adult falls while outlining ways older adults, caregivers, and their health care providers can prevent falls.
Medicines Risk Fact Sheet
Prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and even some herbal products can cause side effects that can increase your risk of a fall or motor vehicle crash. Use this fact sheet to identify medicines that put you at risk and know questions to ask your doctor.
Older Adult Fall Prevention CDC website
Falls—and the injuries they cause—are increasing. Learn how you can prevent falls at CDC.gov/falls.