Falls and injurious falls late in home-dwelling life

Of the Finnish persons aged 85 years or older, living at home, 555 (67% of this age class) were monitored for two years to describe the circumstances and the frequency of falls and injury-causing falls. The incidence rates of falls, major soft tissue injuries and fractures were 1039 (95% confidence interval = CI: 974–1093), 74 (58–92) and 89 (72–108), respectively. The incidence of falls was higher among women 1127 (1055–1199) than among men 755 (651–870), but only among those younger than 90 years. The probability of getting injured in a fall was higher in the morning (p = 0.010) and in the evening (p = 0.007) as compared to the daytime. More injury-causing falls than other falls were non-defined as regards ongoing activity at the time of fall (p < 0.001) and type of falling (p < 0.001). Ongoing activity and type of falling did not discriminate injury-causing falls from other falls after exclusion of the non-defined falls. We conclude that incidence of falls among the home-dwelling elderly increases up to the oldest ages, especially among the men. Time of day affects the occurrence of injuries in falls. Ongoing activity and type of falling play a minor role in falls causing injuries among the most elderly.