Pitfalls

Be wary of dismissing falls as being purely ‘mechanical’ in nature. Even if the patient feels they can clearly recall that they had simply ‘slipped and fell,’ it is very likely that there are confounding factors contributing to this such as impaired vision, unstable gait and/or hazards in their home. The patient may not offer these secondary features by their own initiative, which is why it is important to remember to enquire about them on history taking. Delirium and frailty should always be considered in the elderly population and can be assessed formally with the use of the 4AT and Clinical Frailty scores respectively.