Broken Bones Aren't the Only Danger When an Elderly Person Falls

Anne Marie Valinoti, M.D., an internist in northern New Jersey, shared a case earlier this week in the New York Times. An 88-year-old woman had fallen and was alone on the floor for 15 hours when the family found her.

Although her family had called her while she was unable to rise, but she did not say she needed help because she didn't want to trouble them. This put her at risk for an extensive muscle injury. It highlights the need not only to try to prevent falls, but to talk with elderly relatives about the need to ask for help if they do fall.