Assessing a loved one's risk of falling: questionnaire and simple tests
Medical review in progress.
The Stay Independent brochure (CDC, STEADI) gives 2 points to the first two “yes” answers and 1 point to the next ten. From 4 points, it says the person may be at risk of falling and that they should talk to a doctor. A lower score does not mean there is no risk.
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Example: yes only to the first two questions. 2 + 2 = 4 points. The brochure places this score in the zone where it asks you to talk to a doctor.
The questionnaire
The sentences follow the English Stay Independent brochure, adapted for this page. The points are those printed next to “Yes”: 2, 2, then 1 for each of the other ten. Tick “yes” only if the sentence is true for the person.
1. I have fallen in the past year. (2 points if yes) 2. I use, or have been advised to use, a cane or walker to get around safely. (2 points if yes) 3. Sometimes I feel unsteady when I am walking. (1 point if yes) 4. I steady myself by holding onto furniture when walking at home. (1 point if yes) 5. I am worried about falling. (1 point if yes) 6. I need to push with my hands to stand up from a chair. (1 point if yes) 7. I have some trouble stepping up onto a kerb. (1 point if yes) 8. I often have to rush to the toilet. (1 point if yes) 9. I have lost some feeling in my feet. (1 point if yes) 10. I take medicine that sometimes makes me feel light-headed or more tired than usual. (1 point if yes) 11. I take medicine to help me sleep or improve my mood. (1 point if yes) 12. I often feel sad or depressed. (1 point if yes)
This page is about a person falling. It does not cover falling objects, rockfalls or a risk at the workplace.
The simple tests
The CDC STEADI “Timed Up and Go” sheet (2017) describes a mobility test. The person wears their usual footwear and may use a walking aid. They sit back in a chair with armrests. A line is placed 3 metres (10 feet) away. On the signal, they stand up, walk at their usual pace to the line, turn around, come back and sit down again. The stopwatch starts on the signal and stops when they are seated again.
The same sheet writes that an older person who takes 12 seconds or more is at risk of falling. Someone stays alongside during the test, for safety. This page explains the protocol. It does not run it remotely.
Interpreting the result
The maximum total is 14. The brochure says to add the points of each “yes”. If the total reaches 4 or more, the person may be at risk of falling. The brochure then asks to discuss it with a doctor. It does not say that a score of 0 to 3 rules out the risk.
What to do next
The brochure lists four actions: talk openly to a professional and have medicines reviewed; move, with a programme that strengthens legs and balance; have eyes checked every year; make the home safer by removing clutter and obstacles.
The brochure also indicates that one in four people aged 65 or over falls each year. That figure is the one printed on the cover read (2023), not a statistic recalculated here.
This questionnaire is not a diagnosis. It follows a brochure. In case of a fall, faintness or injury, contact a doctor or call 999 or 112.
Frequently asked questions
How do you assess the risk of falling?
With the 12 sentences of the CDC STEADI Stay Independent brochure, adding 2 points for each of the first two “yes” answers and 1 point for each of the other ten. From 4 points, the brochure says to talk to a doctor. It is not a diagnosis.
What is the “timed up and go” test?
On the 2017 CDC STEADI sheet: stand up from a chair, walk 3 metres, turn around, come back, sit down again, timed from the signal until seated. The sheet indicates that a time of 12 seconds or more, in an older person, corresponds to a risk of falling. Someone must stay alongside.
Sources
Read also
After the screening. If the score reaches 4, the first step indicated by the brochure is to talk to a doctor. The prevention page, Care telecare and the Elder vest (personal protective equipment, not a medical device, it does not prevent the fall) come in addition. Home-care network not yet integrated in your country. Read about fall prevention