Elderly Falls (BLS)

Course overview

The elderly are the most rapidly growing segment of the population, making up 12% of the population, yet are responsible for 36% of all EMS transport, 25% of hospitalizations, and 25% of all trauma costs. Treating the elderly patient who has fallen can be tricky because there can be a multitude of reasons why your elderly patient has fallen. When injured, the elderly are much more likely to die from their injuries than the younger trauma patient, making them a much higher-risk patient population. This lesson aims to educate the learner about the management of the elderly patient who suffers from a fall.