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TABLE 2
Risk Factors for Falls
Demographic factors
Older age (especially ≥ 75 years)
White race
Housebound status
Living alone
Historical factors
Use of cane or walker
Previous falls
Acute illness
Chronic conditions, especially neuromuscular disorders
Medications, especially the use of four or more prescription drugs (see Table 4)
Physical deficits
Cognitive impairment
Reduced vision, including age-related changes (i.e., decline in visual acuity, decline in accommodative capacity, glare intolerance, altered depth perception, presbyopia [near vision], decreased night vision, decline in peripheral vision)
Difficulty rising from a chair
Foot problems
Neurologic changes, including age-related changes (i.e., postural instability; slowed reaction time; diminished sensory awareness for light touch, vibration and temperature; decline of central integration of visual, vestibular and proprioceptive senses)
Decreased hearing, including age-related changes (i.e., presbycusis [increase in pure tone threshold, predominantly high frequency], impaired speech discrimination, excessive cerumen accumulation)
Others
Environmental hazards (see Figure 2)
Risky behaviors