Fear of falls increases falls risk in older people

Many older people have a fear of falls. A major cause of injury and admission into nursing home care a fear of falls can be very real and debilitating.

But does a fear of falls increase your chances of falling, even if physiologically your actual risk of falls is low? A study lead by Prof Stephen Lord from Neuroscience Research Australia assessed the fear of falls amongst 500 Australians between 70-90 years of age and found many were overly fearful of falling.

“Fear leads to a downward spiral for older people,” says Prof Lord in a press release. “When older people fear falling, they become less active and lose strength and balance. This inevitably means they begin to fall more often, which can lead to a loss of independence and need for care in a nursing home.”

The study found that while most older people have an accurate perception of their fall risk, up to one third of elderly people either underestimate or overestimate their risk of falls. 



Those people in the study who were overly anxious about falling also had symptoms of depression and neurotic personality traits. These psychological characteristics were just as important a contribution to falling as physical incapacity, says Prof Lord.

In contrast, those people who were overly confident, even though they had a high actual risk, were actually protected against falling. Confident 'stoic' older people who rated their falls risk as low were found to have better quality of life, were more active and stronger with less symptoms of depression.  

“We think that having a positive outlook helps people keep active, which protects against falls,” says Prof Lord.

Prof Lord says that older people can reduce their risk of falls by exercising at least twice a week for an hour each time and improving their balance through Tai Chi or other standing exercises that require coordination, agility and quick stepping.

Anyone who has experienced a devastating fall will tell you that a fear of falls can be difficult to overcome. A fear of falls should never be overlooked. Help from a psychologist or physiotherapist can often help reduce a person's fear of falls and improve quality of life.