Why does my parent keep falling?

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A parent who falls more than once is telling you something, and NIA's falls guidance is direct: falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults, they are not a normal part of aging, and each fall raises the odds of the next - so the pattern deserves a workup rather than a clean-up. The usual suspects, often stacked: medications - sedatives, blood pressure pills, sleep aids, and anything causing dizziness, with a full medication review as the highest-yield single step; orthostatic blood pressure drops on standing; vision decline; foot problems and bad footwear; muscle weakness and balance loss; and the home itself - rugs, poor lighting, missing grab bars, stairs.

The workup to ask for: medication review, blood pressure lying and standing, vision check, gait and balance assessment, vitamin D, and sometimes heart rhythm monitoring when falls are unexplained. Physical therapy for strength and balance measurably cuts fall rates - this is one of the best-evidenced interventions in geriatrics.

The urgent lines: a fall with a head strike while on blood thinners - emergency imaging, even if they seem fine; a fall followed by inability to bear weight - the hip fracture rule-out; and a fall with confusion, which suggests infection or something systemic. After any fall, watch the next 48 hours closely. Then fix the home, review the medications, and get the assessment - repeat falls are treatable information.

Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text. Describe the falls and your parent's medications, and it can help you prepare for the appointment.

Why does my parent keep falling?

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