Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention of Falls in Elders With Developmental Disabilities

Falls are the leading cause of injury and death in older adults in the United States. People with developmental disabilities experience accelerated physiologic and degenerative changes associated with aging and are at risk for falls sooner than the general population. There is little information specifically regarding the evaluation and prevention of falls for individuals with developmental disabilities. This article examines how the strategies used to evaluate and prevent falls in the general population translate to use in adults with developmental disabilities and highlights the research that indicates how risk factors, evaluation, interventions, and prevention strategies may differ for people with developmental disabilities.