Guidelines on Preventing Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Issued

Older adults living in the community who are at higher risk for falling should be encouraged to exercise or have physical therapy, according to guidelines from the USPSTF published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Vitamin D supplements are also recommended.

The authors find good evidence that exercise and vitamin D supplements each reduces the risk for falls by about 15% in this population.

The group does not recommend routine in-depth work-ups to identify those at risk, because the likelihood of benefit is small. Rather, simpler approaches, such as assessing the patient's history of falls and being aware of gait and balance impairments will help clinicians identify those at greatest risk.