Fall Risk Assessment for Seniors
Pelank Life ©
Fall risk is one of the most significant concerns in senior health. It refers to the likelihood of an individual falling due to various factors such as muscle weakness, balance problems, chronic illnesses, or the use of certain medications. Early detection and prevention of fall risk play a crucial role in maintaining independence, improving quality of life, and preventing serious injuries such as fractures or hospitalization among older adults.
To assess this risk, there are usually standard criteria and questionnaires that determine the likelihood of falling based on an individual’s physical condition, lifestyle, and history of previous falls. Such assessments help families and caregivers take simple actions and make adjustments to the living environment, significantly reducing the chances of falls among seniors.
On this page, you will learn about the concept of fall risk, contributing factors, prevention strategies, and assessment tools. You can also use our online tool to quickly evaluate the risk of falling for yourself or your loved ones.
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Senior Fall Risk
Introduction
Introduction
Senior falls are a hidden yet widespread issue that affect millions of older adults around the world each year.
According to the World Health Organization, nearly one-third of people over the age of 65 experience at least one fall each year. Many of these incidents result in bone fractures, prolonged hospitalization, and even a permanent loss of independence.
In addition to physical injuries, falls can also have significant psychological consequences, such as anxiety, fear of movement, and social isolation.
The financial burden resulting from senior falls is also substantial, as the costs of treating fractures and rehabilitation can place significant strain on families and the healthcare system.
The important point, however, is that a large proportion of these falls are preventable—provided that individuals at risk are identified in time and appropriate measures are taken to reduce the risk.
Fall risk assessment not only helps prevent serious injuries but also enables seniors to continue their daily lives with greater confidence and independence.
In recent years, various tools and tests have been developed to assess fall risk. However, many of these tools are either too specialized and clinical or are not easily accessible and user-friendly for ordinary users, especially Persian speakers.
In this article, after reviewing different aspects of fall risk in seniors and the importance of timely identification, we introduce an online and fully localized tool called the Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler. For the first time, this tool enables individuals and families to scientifically and quickly assess their risk of falling—without the need for an in-person visit.
Causes and Risk Factors for Senior Falls
Fall risk in seniors is the result of a combination of physical, psychological, and environmental factors. Understanding these factors in detail is essential for effective prevention. In this section, we highlight the most important ones:
1️⃣ Age and Underlying Medical Conditions
Age and underlying diseases
Advancing age is naturally associated with a decline in physical and neurological abilities. Many seniors are at a higher risk of falling due to chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, neurological disorders, or Parkinson’s disease. These conditions can lead to muscle weakness, reduced reflexes, dizziness, or instability.
2️⃣ Muscle Weakness and Balance Problems
Muscle weakness and balance problems
As people age, muscle mass and strength decrease (a condition known as sarcopenia), which affects balance, standing, and walking. Even a slight decline in lower limb muscle strength can significantly increase the risk of falling. Additionally, neurological problems and impaired proprioception can further reduce the body’s ability to maintain balance.
3️⃣ Medication Use
Taking medications
Many seniors need to take multiple medications simultaneously due to various medical conditions. Medications that affect the central nervous system—such as sedatives, antidepressants, or antihypertensives—can cause dizziness, drowsiness, or low blood pressure, thereby increasing the risk of falling.
4️⃣ Mobility Issues and Gait Disorders
Movement problems and gait disturbances
Musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis or joint mobility limitations can make walking difficult for seniors. While assistive devices like canes or walkers can aid mobility, improper use or lack of proper training can actually become a contributing factor to falls.
5️⃣ Environmental Factors
Environmental factors
The living environment plays a critical role in the risk of falling among seniors. Slippery surfaces, loose rugs, stairs without handrails, poor lighting, and objects or cables on the floor are all significant environmental risk factors. Even outside the home, curbs, uneven sidewalks, and obstacles in the path can further increase the risk of falls.
Recognizing and managing these factors is the first important step in reducing the risk of falls among seniors.
The Importance of Identifying and Assessing Fall Risk
Timely identification of individuals at risk of falling is one of the most critical measures in senior health. Many falls occur when warning signs—such as muscle weakness, imbalance, or a previous history of falling—are ignored. For this reason, regular fall risk assessment and structured scientific screening can help prevent serious injuries and even save lives.
1️⃣ Common Tools and Questionnaires for Fall Risk Assessment
Common tools and questionnaires for fall risk assessment
In recent years, researchers and health organizations have developed a range of standardized tools and questionnaires to identify the level of fall risk in seniors. One of the most well-known is “STEADI” (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries), which was created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
These tools typically include questions about previous falls, balance issues, chronic illnesses, mobility status, and medications used. Some also incorporate simple functional tests—such as the 30-Second Chair Stand Test, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test, and the One-Leg Stand Test—which each provide valuable insights into a senior’s mobility and balance.
2️⃣ Limitations of Common Tools
Limitations of common tools
Despite their usefulness, many of these tools are either too specialized and clinical—requiring administration by doctors or physiotherapists—or their English forms are confusing and difficult to access for Persian-speaking users. Additionally, most require in-person visits to healthcare centers, making quick and easy assessment at home or by family members impractical.
3️⃣ The Importance of Localized and Online Tools
The importance of native and online tools
Technological advancements have made it possible to develop simple, accurate, and accessible screening tools for everyone. A localized tool—fully in Persian and tailored to the needs of our community—can fill existing gaps and enable families and caregivers to monitor seniors’ health and anticipate potential risks without wasting time or money.
In the next section, we will introduce the professional Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler tool and review its unique features.
Introducing the Pelank Online Fall Risk Assessment Tool
In recent years, with technological advancements and greater internet access, the need for simple, accurate, and localized tools to assess the health status of seniors has become more apparent than ever. The Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler is a response to this need: a fully online, bilingual (Persian and English), free, and accessible tool designed for the quick and scientific assessment of fall risk in seniors.
1️⃣ Purpose of Developing the Tool
Purpose of tool development
The main purpose of developing the Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler is to provide an easy way for all seniors, families, trainers, and even healthcare professionals to assess fall risk without the need for in-person visits or high costs. Based on the results, users can take appropriate preventive or therapeutic measures.
This tool, introduced for the first time in Iran, is adapted from the most reputable international questionnaires and has been developed with careful consideration of the needs and culture of Persian-speaking users.
2️⃣ Distinctive Features of the Tool
Distinctive features of the tool
Bilingual Accessibility: The tool is available to both Persian-speaking and English-speaking users without any limitations.
No Registration or Login Required: The tool is completely free to use, requires no registration, and is accessible on both computers and mobile devices.
Based on Reliable Scientific Data: The tool’s logic is built upon validated scientific questionnaires and tests such as STEADI, as well as recent international studies, and has been adapted to the Iranian population.
Instant and Downloadable Report: Immediately after completing the test, users can view their risk level—color-coded and categorized (low, medium, high)—and download the report as a PDF or share it with their doctor.
Usable in Healthcare Centers, Nursing Homes, and Even at Home: The tool is designed so that both general users and specialized facilities can easily benefit from it.
3️⃣ Who Can Use the Pelank Fall Risk Assessment?
Who can use the Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler?
Seniors and Their Families
Caregivers and Elderly Nurses
Sports Coaches and Physiotherapists
Clinics and Nursing Homes
All Pelank website users (both Persian and English speakers)
With this tool, any individual or family can scientifically and practically assess their own or their loved ones’ fall risk in just a few minutes, and receive practical, personalized recommendations based on the results.
Explanation of the Different Sections of the Fall Risk Tool
The online senior fall risk assessment tool is designed so that users can evaluate their own or a family member’s fall risk through a few simple, science-based steps in a clear and understandable way.
Below, we review the main sections and the logic behind how this tool works:
1️⃣ User Inputs (Required Information)
User inputs (required information)
For an accurate assessment, the user needs to answer a few simple questions:
Basic Information: Age, gender, height, and weight (for BMI calculation)
Fall History and Mobility Issues: Have you experienced a fall in the past six months? Do you feel muscle weakness or have problems with balance?
Simple Functional Tests:
- 30-Second Chair Stand Test: The user enters the number of times they can sit down and stand up from a chair within 30 seconds.
- Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test: The time taken (in seconds) to stand up, walk, and return to the chair is recorded.
- One-Leg Stand Test: The user inputs the duration they can maintain balance while standing on one leg.
2️⃣ Algorithm and Scoring
Algorithm and scoring
The scoring logic of this tool is entirely scientific and based on reputable sources such as STEADI and the latest international studies.
Each user response is assigned a score based on the level of risk:
Age over 65 years: 1 point
BMI over 30: 1 point
History of falls or muscle-balance problems: 2 points each
Poor performance in any of the functional tests (below the normal threshold): 1 point
Finally, the total score classifies the individual’s risk into three categories:
Low Risk (0 to 2 points)
Moderate Risk (3 to 5 points)
High Risk (6 points and above)
3️⃣ Tool Output and Personalized Recommendations
Tool output and personalized recommendations
Upon completing the test, the user immediately sees their color-coded and categorized result on the screen. In addition to indicating the risk level, personalized explanations about the individual’s strengths and weaknesses are displayed; for example:
“Your Chair-Stand test score is below the normal range for your age.”
“Your weight is above the normal range, and it is advisable to work on weight reduction.”
Practical and actionable recommendations are also provided to the user:
Perform simple balance and strength exercises at home
Consult a physiotherapist or physician if at high risk
Use Pelank’s free educational resources
At the end, the user can save or print a complete report as a PDF to share with their doctor, family, or healthcare providers.
Use Cases and Sample Outcomes
One of the strengths of the Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler is its versatility for use in various settings and with different groups. In this section, we review several real-life scenarios demonstrating the tool’s impact on decision-making and prevention processes:
1️⃣ Senior at Home with Family Support
Elderly person at home with family
Mrs. Rezai, a 72-year-old woman, experienced a slip and fall last month. Her daughter used the Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler online tool to input her mother’s information and discovered that her fall risk is at a “moderate” level, with particularly low performance in the balance test.
Based on the tool’s recommendations, they begin a few simple balance exercises at home and clear the living environment of hazardous obstacles. They also decide to consult a physiotherapist at the earliest opportunity. These actions significantly reduce the likelihood of a repeat incident.
2️⃣ Use by a Sports Coach or Physiotherapist
Use by a sports trainer or physiotherapist
A fitness coach at a senior center uses the Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler to conduct initial assessments for all clients and invites those with higher risk levels to specialized strength and balance training sessions.
Each individual’s PDF report is added to their fitness record, allowing the coach to monitor progress or changes in risk levels by repeating the test in subsequent sessions.
3️⃣ Healthcare Centers or Nursing Homes
Medical centers or nursing homes
In a nursing home, caregivers periodically assess the fall risk of each resident using the tool and report the results to the facility’s physician. This process enables personalized and targeted care plans and interventions.
4️⃣ Caregivers and Families
Caregivers and families
Sometimes, families become concerned when they notice balance weakness or decreased confidence in their elderly loved ones. This tool enables them to assess the fall risk level before any incident occurs and make informed decisions based on the report to modify lifestyle or adjust the living environment.
These scenarios demonstrate how fall risk assessment for seniors can serve as an effective tool to enhance the health and quality of life for older adults, while providing peace of mind to families and caregivers.
Summary and Recommendations
Senior falls remain one of the major challenges facing healthcare systems, families, and the seniors themselves—a challenge often underestimated despite its severe physical, psychological, and economic consequences. The hopeful point is that timely identification of at-risk individuals and the use of scientific, localized tools like the Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler can make significant strides in preventing these incidents and preserving seniors’ quality of life.
Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler, as the first bilingual and fully localized online fall risk assessment tool, provides quick and scientific screening for seniors, families, caregivers, and healthcare centers—all without the need for in-person visits or heavy expenses. This tool not only determines the level of fall risk but also offers fully personalized and practical recommendations, enabling users to take immediate steps to reduce their risk.
1️⃣ Practical Recommendations
Practical recommendations
Regular Use of the Tool: It is recommended that seniors and their families periodically (e.g., every three months) repeat the risk assessment to quickly identify any changes in their condition.
Share with Doctors and Caregivers: Share the tool’s PDF report with the senior’s doctor or nurse to ensure that specialized interventions are taken if needed.
Improve the Living Environment: Based on the tool’s recommendations, make the home safer—for example, remove loose rugs, clear obstacles and excess cables, and ensure adequate lighting in hallways and rooms.
Encourage Physical Activity: Age-appropriate balance and strength exercises play a vital role in reducing fall risk. The Pelank tool also provides free educational resources in this area.
2️⃣ Future Development Path
Future development path
The Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler serves as a foundation for scientific research and broader collaborations with domestic and international experts. Future versions may incorporate smarter algorithms (such as machine learning), enhanced scientific validation, and even mobile applications to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Additionally, this tool can act as a platform for scientific studies, international publications, and joint projects with academic institutions.
Ultimately, timely awareness and action are the best means of prevention.
We invite all families, healthcare centers, and caregivers to utilize the free and online Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler tool and help promote this preventive culture throughout the community.
References
World Health Organization (WHO). Falls. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls
Gray M, et al. (2019). Qualitative Evaluation of Interdisciplinary Service Learning Experience to Assess and Manage Fall Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. OBM Geriatrics, 3(4). https://www.lidsen.com/journals/geriatrics/geriatrics-03-04-084
CDC STEADI Initiative. Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries. https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/
Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler – Project Proposal. Taheri, S. M. (2025).
Technical Algorithm Document – Pelank Fall-Risk Profiler. Taheri, S. M. (2025).
Rubenstein, LZ. (2006). Falls in older people: epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for prevention. Age and Ageing, 35-S2, ii37–ii41.
Sherrington, C., et al. (2019). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2019(1):CD012424.
Lord, S. R., et al. (2007). Falls in Older People: Risk Factors and Strategies for Prevention. Cambridge University Press.