Unintentional Weight Loss Increases Fall Risk in Elderly

According to a new study published on Aging (Aging-US), older people who lose weight unintentionally are more prone to suffer a fall than those who don’t.

The research, led by Ya-Mei Tzeng in Taiwan, analyzed the data from 375 older adults participating in a fall prevention program and concluded that accurate predictions of fall risk might require looking into individual frailty traits rather than broad frailty labels.

To conduct the study, subjects were evaluated with five signs of frailty:

• Weakness
• Slowness
• Exhaustion
• Low physical activity
• Unintentional weight loss

When analyzing the data, researchers found that all five signs were linked to an increased likelihood of falling, with unintentional loss being the strongest association. On top of this, they also confirmed a connection between malnutrition, muscle decline, and chronic illness, with weight loss.

After these findings, researchers recommend that healthcare providers and organizations working with health programs focus on specific frailty signs instead of making a broad spectrum analysis of the person. This targeted approach can help the elderly be more independent and healthier.

Considering the dangers of falling for older people, keeping up with the latest technology developments is essential to help prevent serious injuries. Nowadays, medical alert systems are an excellent option for anyone living alone.

That includes anyone at risk of falling, since there are outstanding medical alert systems with fall detection systems that can make a big difference after tripping or slipping. After a fall, these systems connect the elderly with an emergency operator in less than a minute via a two-way speaker, offering professional assistance, including dispatching an ambulance, police, or firefighters.