Indoor falls occur most often in the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen. The first and last steps are the most dangerous. Common sites of outdoor falls are curbs and steps. The main contributor to the risk of falls is the presence of intrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors include age-related changes and disorders that affect functions needed to maintain balance.
Dizziness is common in the elderly.
Orthostatic hypotension, which is common among the elderly, is not a common cause of falls, but it often causes affected persons to sit down because of light-headedness. Frequent nocturia is associated with falls, probably because the elderly person has difficulty getting up and walking to the bathroom quickly at night. The use of restraints may increase the risk of falls because patients struggle to free themselves, and the use of bed rails may increase the risk of falls because patients try to climb over them. Psychoactive drugs are the drugs most commonly reported as increasing the risk of falls and hip fractures. Moreover, the faller's tolerance of risk becomes increasingly important.