Falls Prevention for Elderly at Home
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation for older Australians. Understanding your risk factors and taking early action can make a real difference.
How Common Are Falls in Older Australians?
Falls are a serious and common health concern for older Australians. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), approximately 1 in 3 people aged 65 and over experience a fall each year. For those aged 80 and above, the rate is even higher.
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation in Australians aged 65 and over, and they account for a significant proportion of emergency department presentations. Beyond physical injury, falls can lead to a loss of confidence, reduced mobility, social withdrawal, and a cycle of inactivity that increases the risk of further falls.
The good news is that falls are not an inevitable part of ageing. Many of the risk factors that contribute to falls are modifiable, and there is strong evidence that targeted physiotherapy interventions may help reduce falls risk in older adults.
Common Risk Factors for Falls at Home
Falls rarely have a single cause. Most falls result from a combination of personal health factors and environmental hazards. Understanding these risk factors is the first step in reducing your risk.
Physical Risk Factors
- Muscle weakness - particularly in the legs and core. Age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) reduces your ability to recover from a stumble or loss of balance.
- Balance and gait problems - changes in how you walk, reduced step height, shuffling gait, and difficulty turning are all linked to increased falls risk.
- Vision changes - poor depth perception, reduced contrast sensitivity, and conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration affect your ability to see hazards.
- Medications - some medications, particularly sedatives, blood pressure medications, and certain antidepressants, can cause dizziness or drowsiness that increases falls risk.
- Chronic conditions - arthritis, diabetes, stroke, Parkinson's disease, and dementia all affect balance, coordination, and reaction time.
Environmental Hazards at Home
- Loose rugs, mats, and cluttered walkways
- Poor lighting, especially in hallways, stairs, and bathrooms
- Wet or slippery bathroom floors without grab rails
- Steps and uneven surfaces without handrails
- Footwear that is loose, worn, or lacks grip
How Physiotherapy May Help Reduce Falls Risk
There is strong evidence supporting the role of physiotherapy in falls prevention for older adults. A physiotherapist can assess your individual risk factors and develop a targeted program to address them. Here is what that typically involves.
Falls Risk Assessment
Your physiotherapist assesses your balance, gait, leg strength, functional mobility, and home environment. Standardised tools are used to measure your falls risk and identify the specific factors contributing to it. This assessment forms the basis of your treatment plan.
Balance and Strength Training
Progressive exercises are prescribed to improve your leg strength, core stability, and balance reactions. These are tailored to your current ability and gradually increased in difficulty as you improve. Research consistently shows that exercise programs targeting balance and strength may reduce falls in older adults.
Gait Retraining
If your walking pattern has changed - perhaps you shuffle, take shorter steps, or have difficulty turning - your physiotherapist can work on specific gait retraining techniques. This may include practising heel-toe walking, increasing step length, and improving turning technique.
Home Environment Review
Because mobile physiotherapy is delivered in your home, your physiotherapist can assess your living environment for hazards and recommend practical modifications. This might include removing tripping hazards, recommending grab rails in the bathroom, improving lighting, or suggesting changes to furniture arrangement.
Walking Aid Assessment
If you use a walking frame, stick, or rollator, your physiotherapist checks that it is the correct type and height for you and that you are using it safely. An incorrectly fitted or inappropriate walking aid can actually increase your falls risk rather than reduce it.
Learn more about our approach on the falls prevention service page.
Exercises You Can Start at Home
While a physiotherapist should assess you before starting any new exercise program, the following general exercises are commonly used in falls prevention programs. Always hold onto a stable surface such as a kitchen bench when first attempting standing exercises.
Sit-to-Stand
Stand up from a firm chair without using your hands if possible, then slowly sit back down. This builds the leg strength needed for getting out of chairs, off the toilet, and recovering from a stumble. Aim for 5-10 repetitions.
Heel Raises
Standing behind a chair for support, rise up onto your toes and slowly lower back down. This strengthens your calf muscles, which play an important role in balance and walking. Aim for 10-15 repetitions.
Tandem Standing
Stand with one foot directly in front of the other, heel touching toe, while holding onto a bench. Hold for 10-30 seconds and then switch feet. This challenges your balance in a safe, controlled way.
Side Stepping
Along a kitchen bench, step sideways in one direction, then back the other way. This strengthens your hip abductors, which are critical for stability during walking and turning.
Important: These exercises are general examples only. Your physiotherapist can assess your individual needs and prescribe exercises at the right level of difficulty for you. Exercises that are too easy will not improve your balance, while exercises that are too difficult may increase your risk of falling.
When Should You Seek Professional Help?
You do not need to wait until you have had a serious fall to seek help. In fact, early intervention is more effective than waiting. Consider speaking to your GP or contacting a physiotherapist if:
- You have had a fall in the past 12 months, even if you were not injured
- You feel unsteady on your feet or when walking
- You have started avoiding activities because you are worried about falling
- You need to hold onto furniture or walls when moving around your home
- You have noticed changes in your walking pattern or leg strength
- You are taking medications that cause dizziness or drowsiness
A physiotherapist can visit you at home to conduct a thorough falls risk assessment and develop a personalised program to address your specific risk factors. Mobile physiotherapy means you do not need to travel to a clinic - particularly important if getting out of the house is already a concern.
For information on how physiotherapy is funded through aged care programs, visit our funding and payment options page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common are falls in people over 65?
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), approximately 1 in 3 Australians aged 65 and over experience a fall each year. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation in this age group.
Can physiotherapy help prevent falls in elderly people?
There is strong evidence that targeted physiotherapy programs focusing on balance training, strength exercises, and gait retraining may help reduce falls risk in older adults. A physiotherapist can assess your individual risk factors and develop a personalised program.
Do I need a referral for falls prevention physiotherapy?
You do not need a GP referral to see a physiotherapist privately. However, if you are accessing physiotherapy through a Support at Home package, DVA, or Medicare, a referral or care plan may be required depending on the funding pathway. Contact us to discuss your situation.
Content reviewed by Jovi Villanueva, AHPRA Registered Physiotherapist (PHY0001876394), Principal Physiotherapist at Wellworx Physio.
Last updated: March 2026
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