Geriatric Falls (ALS)

Course overview

According to research published by the National Institutes of Health, 17% of all emergency calls may be for patients over 65 who have experienced a fall. Of those, almost 80% will not be able to get up independently, and 30% will have been stranded on the floor for over an hour. Given the high likelihood of being called out for geriatric falls, EMS professionals need to understand the highest risk factors and complications associated with these calls. High rates of patient refusals in the geriatric population (over 21% of dispatches to geriatric falls) make it harder to ensure quality care. Make sure your assessment is comprehensive and thorough, considering all the potential outcomes, before you walk away.