title: Falls can be an indicator of underlying medical or social problems.
abstract: Falls are the most common reason for A&E attendance in people over 55. Between 10-20 per cent of falls cause injury of some sort and even apparently 'minor' soft tissue injury can lead to significant loss of function in frailer people. Falls can also result in distressing 'long lie' where victims are unable to get up, and this may lead to pressure damage, dehydration or hypothermia. Falls are also frequently an indicator of underlying medical or social problems and the first 'red flag' suggesting that something is wrong.
authors.affiliation: The University of Portsmouth.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sander