Falls in the nursing home: preventable or inevitable?

1. Falls in the elderly are frequent occurrences and are usually a result of the complex interaction of environmental, physiological, and pathological variables. Fall-related injuries happen much less frequently. 2. Physical restraints have not been found effective in preventing falls and may be associated with increased risk of fall-related injury. 3. Because of the complex nature of falls in the elderly, fall prevention programs must emphasize the critical assessment of each resident's risks for falling with targeted interventions.