Towards developing more effective interventions for fall-related injuries, this study analysed a novel database from six retirement home facilities over a 4-year period comprising 1,877 fallers and 12,445 falls. Falls were characterized based on location, activity, injury site, and type, and the database was stratified across four levels of care: Independent Living, Retirement Care, Assisted Care, and Memory care. Falls most occurred within the bedroom (62.8%), and during unknown (38.1%), walking (20.2%), and transfer tasks (14.6%). Approximately one in three (37%) of all falls resulted in an injury, most commonly involving the upper limb (31.8%), head (26.3%), and lower limb (22.2%), resulting in skin tears (35.3%), aches/pains (29.1%), or bruises (28.0%). While fall location, activity, and injury site were different across levels of care, injury type was not. The data from this study can assist in targeting fall-related injury prevention strategies across levels of care within retirement facilities.

This study describes the prevalence and characteristics of self-reported unintentional injuries among Canadians aged 55 years and older. Based on the cross-sectional data from the 1994 National Population Health Survey (NPHS), approximately 10 per cent of older adults experienced unintentional injuries serious enough to limit their normal daily activities. Consistent with hospitalization and mortality data, unintentional falls and motor vehicle crashes were reported as the major causes of injury. However, the other predominant causes of unintentional injuries were environmental incidents and being struck by an object. The most common types of injuries were sprains/strains and broken/fractured bones; the greatest number of injuries was to the lower limbs; and the majority of injuries occurred in the home and surrounding area. Unintentional injuries represent a significant health threat among older adults. Self-reported data serve as a different but complementary source of information on unintentional injuries among older adults.