How do I use this self-check?
Read each question aloud to the person it is about, or answer it for them after watching a normal day. Tick Yes or No, and count the Yes answers at the end.
This is not a validated test. Use it to start a conversation with the person, their doctor and their physiotherapist. Falls are a known risk in later life, so checking early is a sensible habit.
The ten questions
Falls and fear
- Falls. Has there been a fall, or a near-fall, in the past year?
- Fear. Does the person avoid stairs, the morning walk, the market or the bathroom because they are afraid of falling?
- Holding on. Do they hold furniture or the wall when walking around the house?
Moving and the body
- Standing up. Is it hard to rise from a chair without using the arms?
- Turning. Do they feel unsteady when turning around, or when they look over their shoulder?
- Dizziness. Do they feel light-headed on standing up, or get a spinning feeling?
- Feet. Is there numbness or tingling in the feet, or do they have painful feet or poor footwear?
- Medicines. Do they take medicines that make them drowsy, or four or more a day?
- Night. Do they rush to the toilet at night, or walk in the dark without a light?
- Slowing. Has walking become noticeably slower or shorter, or has the person stopped an activity they used to enjoy?
How do I read the result?
Count your Yes answers. This is a rule of thumb, not a score from a test.
| Yes answers | What it suggests | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Balance looks steady for now | Keep active, and repeat the check every few months |
| 3 to 5 | Some risk factors are present | Ask a physiotherapist for a balance and strength check |
| 6 or more | A cluster of risk factors | Book a doctor’s review and a physiotherapy assessment soon |
A fall with an injury, dizziness with fainting or a sudden change in walking needs a doctor first. See our page on when to seek medical care.
What helps most?
Exercise that challenges balance and builds strength is the main tool. A Cochrane review of older people living at home found that exercise lowered the rate of falls [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends tailored exercise that challenges balance and improves functional strength, with regular progression, for older people living in the community [2].
A physiotherapist chooses and adjusts the exercises, checks footwear and walking aids, and looks at the home. Medicine reviews, eye checks and a safer home add to the benefit.
What can the family do this week?
- Walk through the house with the home safety checklist.
- Add a night light between the bed and the bathroom.
- Ask the doctor to review medicines that cause drowsiness or dizziness.
- Check eyesight and footwear.
- Read about fear of falling, which makes people move less and become weaker.
Where can we get help in Ipoh?
A home visit lets the physiotherapist see the real stairs, bathroom and kopitiam walk. Read our guide on balance and falls and the page on older adult rehabilitation.
Message us on WhatsApp with the number of Yes answers and the ones that worry you, and we will reply with how a balance assessment at home would run.