This is a plain summary of the most current elderly fall statistics in the United States, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Safety Council, including 2026 updates. No spin, just the numbers, the trends, and what they mean for older adults, families, and caregivers.
Quick Answer
About 1 in 4 Americans age 65 and older falls each year. In 2024, 43,020 older adults died from preventable falls. In 2023, more than 3.85 million were treated in emergency departments for fall injuries. Falls are the leading cause of injury death for adults 65 and older.
How many older adults fall each year
According to the CDC, more than 1 in 4 older adults reports falling each year. That is roughly 14 million people. Notably, fewer than half of them tell their doctor, which means the real number of falls is almost certainly higher than any count based on medical records.
Fall deaths among older adults
In 2024, 43,020 adults age 65 and older died from preventable falls, according to the National Safety Council. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in this age group, and the rate is climbing. CDC data released in 2026 shows the age-adjusted fall death rate rose 21 percent, from 64.7 per 100,000 older adults in 2018 to 78.4 per 100,000 in 2024.
Over a longer window, the trend is sharper still. The National Safety Council reports that over the past 10 years, fall deaths among older adults rose 51 percent.
Emergency department visits and hospitalizations
In 2023, more than 3.85 million older adults were treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries. The CDC puts the ongoing annual figure at about 3 million emergency department visits and roughly 1 million hospitalizations each year among older adults because of falls. Emergency department visits for falls in this age group have risen 38 percent over the past decade.
Why the older-adult numbers stand out
The rise is specific to older adults, and the contrast makes that clear. Over the same 10-year period that fall deaths among people 65 and older rose 51 percent, fall deaths among people under 65 rose just 8 percent, and their emergency department visits for falls actually fell 26 percent. In other words, this is not a story about everyone falling more. It is a story about risk concentrating in later life.
Within the older-adult group, risk keeps climbing with age. Both fall injuries and fall deaths increase steadily with each decade and peak among those 85 and older.
-
What these numbers do and do not mean
- Two honest points. First, these are national figures, not a forecast for any one person. Most older adults who fall are not seriously hurt, and a single fall does not doom anyone. Second, the CDC is clear that falls are not an inevitable part of aging. Much of the risk is addressable through fall-risk screening, reviewing medications that affect balance, strength and balance exercises, vision checks and simple changes to the home.Where a device fits is narrow and worth stating plainly: it does not prevent a fall. What it changes is the time between a fall and help arriving, which matters most for the falls that leave someone unable to get to a phone. Automatic fall detection can send for help even when the person cannot press a button, whether they are at home or out with a mobile device. That is the entire job it does, and it is a real one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many older adults fall each year?
About 1 in 4 Americans age 65 and older falls each year, which is roughly 14 million people, according to the CDC. Fewer than half of those who fall tell their doctor, so the true number of falls is likely higher than recorded figures suggest.
How many older adults die from falls?
In 2024, 43,020 adults age 65 and older died from preventable falls, according to the National Safety Council. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in this age group, and the age-adjusted death rate rose 21 percent between 2018 and 2024.
How many older adults go to the ER for falls?
In 2023, more than 3.85 million older adults were treated in emergency departments for fall injuries. The CDC puts the ongoing annual figure at about 3 million emergency department visits and roughly 1 million hospitalizations each year among older adults.
Are falls among older adults increasing?
Yes. Over the past decade, fall deaths among adults 65 and older rose 51 percent and emergency department visits rose 38 percent. By contrast, fall deaths among people under 65 rose only 8 percent, showing the increase is concentrated in older adults.
What age group has the highest fall risk?
Fall risk rises steadily with age among older adults and peaks among those 85 and older, who have the highest rates of both fall injuries and fall deaths. Risk increases with each decade past 65 due to changes in strength, balance and vision.
Are falls a normal part of aging?
No. The CDC states that falls are common but not an inevitable part of aging. Much of the risk can be reduced through fall-risk screening, reviewing medications that affect balance, strength and balance exercises, vision checks and home safety changes.
What is the leading cause of injury death for older adults?
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults age 65 and older in the United States, according to the CDC. They are also a leading cause of traumatic brain injury and hip fracture in this age group.
Does a medical alert system prevent falls?
No. A medical alert system does not prevent falls. What it does is shorten the time between a fall and help arriving. Automatic fall detection can summon help even when the person is unable to press a button or reach a phone, which matters most in a serious fall.
The short version
One in four older adults falls each year. Falls killed 43,020 people age 65 and older in 2024, sent more than 3.85 million to the emergency room in 2023, and remain the leading cause of injury death in this age group. The numbers are rising, and they are rising specifically for older adults. They are also, in large part, addressable.
Talk It Through
To understand fall detection options, call Medical Alert at 866-381-8384.
Ready When You Are
Not sure which system fits your life? Our team can walk you through it.
Home System, Mobile System with GPS, or Smartwatch. One call and you will know which one is right for you.
