VANCOUVER – With slippery weather on the way, adults 65 years of age and up are at higher risk of falling, which can lead to serious injury — even death. November 3 to 9 is BC Seniors’ Fall Prevention Awareness Week, and public health professionals are sharing tips that will help keep seniors safe.
“We are committed to making sure that seniors have the resources and support they need to make their homes and lifestyles as safe as possible,” said Susie Chant, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care. “Falls do not have to be an inevitable part of ageing. When communities, caregivers, friends and family work together to prevent falls and fall-related injuries, we are ensuring that seniors remain active, independent and live long and full lives.”
Falls are the the leading cause of injury‐related hospitalizations, disabilities, and deaths for British Columbians over 65. On average, 42 older adults are hospitalized every day in BC due to fall-related injuries. The average length of stay in hospital for those who fall is more than two weeks. Preventing fall-related injuries among older adults can save more than $1 billion a year.
“When an older person falls, it can have a lasting and detrimental impact — resulting in injury, loss of mobility, a reduced quality of life and, in severe cases, even death,” says Dr. Shelina Babul, director of the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit at BC Children’s Hospital.
“Falls are preventable. There are a lot of things you can do to prevent a fall — stay active and strong by adding strength and balance exercises to your daily routine, get your eyes tested regularly, make your home safer, and know how your medications can affect you.”
In 2024, BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) responded to 55,602 calls related to falls among adults aged 66 years or older across the province.
“Falls can be a significant challenge for seniors,” said Brian Twaites, BCEHS paramedic public information officer. “Simple changes can make a big difference, whether it’s starting a new exercise routine, booking that eye exam, or asking a family member or friend to install some grab bars in your bathroom.”
In collaboration with partners, the Province of BC has developed a suite of resources to support the well-being and independence of older adults by reducing their risk of falls and fall-related injuries.
This includes:
- A checklist to better understand personal risk of falls
- Information on how to make homes safer
- Strength and Balance for Life (STABL)
STABL is a set of activity resources designed to reduce the risk of falls. STABL offers strength and balance videos with instructions for different levels of mobility, goal-setting guides, and a tracking sheet to record progress.
These tools will help older adults determine whether it's safe to begin a new physical activity, how to safely engage in physical activity with different conditions/symptoms, and at which level to start. All of the resources listed above are available in eight languages: English, Simplified Chinese, Farsi, French, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
- Keep your body active with strength and balance exercises.
- Have a doctor or pharmacist review your medications.
- Have your eyes checked once a year by an optometrist.
- Clear clutter from walkways and stairs
- Install handrails on both sides of stairs
- Keep walkways, steps and handrails in good repair
- Install grab bars in your bathroom
- Remove carpets or rugs that present a tripping hazard
- Use only non-slip rugs on the kitchen and bathroom floor, and non-skid mats, decals or abrasive strips in the bathtub and shower
- Install night lights in the bedroom, bathroom and hallways
The BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU) has worked to reduce the societal and economic burden of injury across all age groups in British Columbia through research, surveillance, education and knowledge transfer, public information, and the support of evidence-based, effective prevention measures.
For over 25 years, BCIRPU has played a central role in coordinating and supporting injury prevention initiatives throughout the province and Canada. The BCIRPU is located at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, Canada, and is a core research program within the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute’s Evidence to Innovation Theme.
BCEHS is responsible for the delivery, coordination and governance of out-of-hospital emergency health services and inter-facility patient transfer planning and coordination services.
BCEHS is supported by the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). For more information, please visit www.bcehs.ca or follow us on Instagram: @bc_ehs or on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bc-emergency-health-services
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Media Contact:
Provincial Health Services Authority
Communication officer: Christopher Foulds
