One in four seniors fell last year due to age-related issues, many did not tell families

Around 26 percent of Dutch seniors aged 65 and older fell last year due to age-related complaints, according to a large survey conducted by EenVandaag among more than 16,000 seniors and about 5,000 children of seniors.

About 11 percent fell multiple times. Most falls happened at home, often when people were alone. One in 10 did not tell anyone about their fall, and 62 percent did not take preventive measures afterward, such as using a walking aid or attending a fall-prevention course.

The risks can be severe. One in 10 seniors who fell at home and were alone lost consciousness. Serious injuries such as head wounds, fractures, and concussions were also reported as common outcomes. One senior described, 'I would lie on the floor for a long time because I could not get up due to dizziness. But it has always ended well.’ Another respondent described lasting psychological effects after breaking a bone, “I was honestly quite shaken. I stayed a lot indoors in the months afterward, but that made me lonely. That is not good either, so now I am trying to be more careful.”

SafetyNL estimated in 2020 that fall-related accidents cost the Dutch healthcare system 1 billion euros annually, a figure expected to rise to 2.4 billion euros per year due to population aging.

Despite the frequency and seriousness of falls, communication about them remains limited. One in 10 seniors kept a fall secret, citing reasons such as seeing it as unnecessary, fearing loss of independence, or wanting to avoid worrying others. One older respondent who had fallen multiple times while alone said, "I was actually always glad that nobody had seen it and started nagging about me having to move out of my house.” About 62 percent made no changes after falling, such as using a walking aid or attending a fall-prevention course.

Family members say the topic is often difficult to discuss. More than one-third (36 percent) of seniors' children said they wanted to discuss a parent’s fall, but their parent was not open to the conversation.

Concerns about future falls are widespread. Half of all children of seniors believe it is likely that their parent will fall soon due to age-related issues. Among children whose parent has already fallen, 90 percent expect another fall in the near future. One worried family member said, "We tried a walker, but she just leaves it standing there. I am afraid it will go completely wrong one day, and I will no longer have a parent, even though it is entirely preventable.”