A new report revealed 77 per cent of unintentional injuries to people over the age of 65 were the result of falls; but many of these are preventable.
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Staying active in later life is crucial to staying mobile and avoiding debilitating falls, according to physiotherapist in charge at Dubbo Hospital Jenny Wheeler.
A total of 97 patients have presented to the Dubbo emergency department for falls since August last year, with injuries ranging from life threatening to cuts and bruises. Even after they have recovered, their problems aren't over.
"The problem is that once someone falls, they are more likely to do it again. There is an increased fear of falling which leads to people trying to avoid getting up and moving around. However that makes them less stable when they do have to get up," Ms Wheeler said.
The report Hospitalised injuries in older Australians: 2011-12 was commissioned by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and showed there were more than 126,000 Australians aged 65 and over, who were admitted for injury in 2011-12, a quarter of all injury hospitalisations.
Of those, 96,000 were the result of falls.
While the risk of falling does increase with age, Ms Wheeler said a lot can be done prevent it.
"Exercise is the best thing, it has to be regular and ongoing, somewhere around 30 minutes a day and the earlier in life you start, the better," she said.
Other medical conditions can lead to falls, and Ms Wheeler said it is important to talk to a general practitioner or health professional to keep on top of any issues.
"Poor vision is a common factor, people need to wear their glasses and get checked out for Macular degeneration. Cataracts can also be a cause," Ms Wheeler said.
"Probably the biggest issue is continence. People get the urge to go to the toilet and they rush, leading them to slip, trip or fall. They might not put slippers on or grab their walking stick. An important thing to understand with continence is that can generally be cured, incontinence isn't a normal part of getting old.
"If anyone has any concerns, they should talk to a relevant specialist physio, podiatrist or dietician. There is also a lot good internet sites that have information."
