Elizabeth Odierna, MD
More than one-third of community-dwelling adults age 65 or older fall every year. In half of these cases, the falls are recurrent. They carry a risk of hospitalization, functional decline and nursing home placement. Most falls are multifactorial and need close attention to various risk factors in individual patients. As the number of community-dwelling adults over 65 has increased significantly, the Einstein/Montefiore Division of Geriatrics has added a Falls Assessment Program in the Geriatrics Ambulatory Practice.
The Falls Assessment Program provides assessments of patients with history or risk factors for falls. The evaluation includes:
- Detailed history and physical examination with emphasis on medication review
- Test for vision and hearing impairment
- Assessment of gait and balance
After the evaluation, recommendations are made to reduce a patient's risk for falls and, if appropriate, patients are referred to other specialists in other disciplines. For patients seen as consultations, recommendations are communicated to the primary care provider.