Falls are the most common type of injury among Finnish older adults. Due to fallrelated injuries many older adults are in high-risk for loosing their independence and may need institutional care. Moreover, during past decades the amount of fall-related deaths among older adults has increased. Approximately 30 % of community-living people over 65 years fall each year and among institution residents the rate is over 50 %. Older adults who fall once are two to three times as likely to fall again within a year. Falls and fall-related injuries are a major public health and economical issue. Furthermore the amount of fall injuries has been estimated to increase since the number and proportion of older adults is growing.

The prevention of falls and fall-related injuries among older adults should be a high priority area. Often risk factors for falls include both intrinsic personal factors and external factors that are related to the living environment. Fall risk can be reduced by identifying potential risk factors individually and eliminating and reducing them. Falls prevention programs targeted simultaneously to multiple risk factors have been shown to be the most effective interventions. Falls prevention programs including muscle strength and balance training, reduction of medication, appropriate treatment of visual problems, use of hip protectors and modification of environmental hazards have shown good results.

The aim of this guidelines publication is to present information on falls and fall
prevention based on scientific research. The publication provides tools to identify
persons with high-risk for falls and to apply prevention. It also aims to facilitate the implementation of evidence-based working methods. The publication includes models for implementing falls prevention in basic health care as well as in institutional care setting. Targeting preventive measures during different phases of prevention is guided in these models. The overall purpose of these guidelines is to strengthen the knowledge on fall prevention among those working in the elderly care and increase their readiness to apply preventive actions as a permanent part of their daily work.

Keywords: older adults, falls, fall injuries, prevention