Emergency Departments Implement Fall Prevention Program for Seniors

Study finds ED visits can help identify factors leading to falls and provide personalized recommendations to prevent future incidents.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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A new study suggests that emergency departments may be able to take meaningful steps during visits to help older adults stay safer once they return home. Researchers evaluated whether a fall prevention program could be delivered during emergency department visits to adults aged 65 and older, within seven days of an accidental fall, who were expected to be discharged and were without mobility-limiting injuries. The intervention paired patients with physical therapists to assess balance and mobility and pharmacists to review medications that may increase fall risk.

Why it matters

Falls are one of the most common reasons older adults are treated in the emergency department, and many patients are discharged home the same day. That transition can be a vulnerable moment, especially if the factors that led to the fall aren't fully addressed. This study highlights the emergency department as a potential point of intervention to support safer recovery after discharge.

The details

Researchers found that these consultations were feasible to complete during the emergency visit and yielded individualized recommendations, including mobility aids, medication adjustments, and referrals for follow-up care. Pharmacists recommended changing medication timing (26%), stopping fall risk medications (19%), and dose adjustments (18%). Physical therapists recommended assistive devices (66%), outpatient services (36%), and skilled nursing facility admission (25%).

  • The study, "Emergency Department Visit Outcomes of a Multicenter Randomized Trial of a Fall Prevention Intervention," was published in Academic Emergency Medicine in 2026.

The players

Sarah D. Berry, MD, MPH

Senior scientist at Hebrew SeniorLife's Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and chief of the Division of Gerontology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Elizabeth M. Goldberg, MD, ScM

Emergency medicine physician and researcher at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Sarah Keene, MD, PhD

Assistant professor, Emergency Medicine in the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University.

Linda Resnik, PhD, PT

Professor of health services, policy, and practice at Brown University School of Public Health.

Vincent Mor, PhD

Professor, health services policy and practice, Florence Pierce Grant University Professor, Center of Gerontology and Healthcare Research, Brown University School of Public Health.

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What they’re saying

“A fall is often a signal that something in a person's health or environment needs attention. This study shows that emergency departments can go beyond treating the immediate injury and help identify factors that may lead to future falls, giving patients and caregivers a plan to prevent future falls as they return home.”

— Sarah D. Berry, MD, MPH, Senior scientist at Hebrew SeniorLife's Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and chief of the Division of Gerontology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Mirage News)

What’s next

While the research focused on how well the program could be implemented rather than long-term outcomes, it highlights the emergency department as a potential point of intervention to support safer recovery after discharge.

The takeaway

This study demonstrates how emergency departments can play a crucial role in identifying fall risk factors and providing personalized recommendations to help older adults safely transition back home, reducing the likelihood of future falls and improving overall health outcomes.