Dementia and Falling: Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Parents
The risk of falls for seniors with dementia isn’t just about bumps and bruises. For someone living with dementia, even one fall can lead to hospitalization, rapid cognitive decline, or a permanent loss of independence. That’s why fall prevention in elderly adults with dementia is so critical.
The truth is dementia and falling often go hand in hand. Your parent may not seem much different after an early diagnosis. But as the disease progresses, it affects their cognitive and physical health, greatly increasing the chance of a serious fall.
And fall prevention for dementia patients and their families is more than just removing loose rugs or installing grab bars—it’s about protecting your loved one’s dignity, independence, and quality of life.
If you’re worried about a mom with dementia who keeps falling, or asking questions like “Can dementia cause falls?” or “Is falling a sign of dementia?”—you’re in the right place.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through why these falls happen, what they could mean for your parent’s safety, and how you can take thoughtful steps—starting today—to prevent the next one.
Why Dementia Increases the Risk of Falls
If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, you may have noticed subtle changes in how they move, speak, or respond to their surroundings. You may also see differences in their mood or personality. These changes aren’t just part of getting older—they’re symptoms of dementia.
As dementia progresses, it negatively affects more of your loved one’s cognitive, mental, and emotional well-being. And as their health declines, so will their likelihood of a fall.
But how can dementia cause falls exactly?
Here are some of the common reasons for dementia and falling down:
Judgment and decision-making – Your parent may try to stand up too quickly, walk without assistance, or forget to use their cane or walker.
Depth perception and spatial awareness – Changes in the brain can make it harder to judge distances, step over obstacles, or detect uneven surfaces.
Balance and motor function – Some types of dementia (like Parkinson’s or Lewy body dementia) directly impact balance and movement, making unsteadiness more common.
Memory and attention – Your loved one may forget about trip hazards or lose focus when walking, increasing their chance of losing balance and falling.
And because these issues will only worsen, falls often become more frequent and serious over time.
Understanding the connection between dementia and falling is an important first step toward protecting your elderly parent. But the next step is just as important—knowing what to do about it. Let’s explore some effective fall interventions for dementia.
Fall Interventions for Dementia: What You Can Do at Home
The goal of fall prevention in the elderly with dementia isn’t just to make the home safer—it’s to create a calm, predictable environment that supports your parent’s changing needs. While it’s impossible to remove every single risk, there are many simple and effective steps you can take to reduce the chances of your loved one falling.
Here are some of the most helpful fall interventions for dementia you can implement at home:
Clear walking paths: Move furniture to widen hallways and walkways. Remove rugs, electrical cords, and other tripping hazards.
Add support bars and grab rails: Install grab bars in the bathroom, next to beds, and near stairways to support safe movement and transitions.
Improve lighting: Use nightlights in hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms to reduce disorientation during nighttime wandering or toileting. Ensure all rooms are well-lit and that lightbulbs are replaced when necessary.
Use contrasting colors: Dementia can affect depth perception, so consider using contrasting colors on stairs and floors to make changes in elevation easier to see.
Wear proper footwear: Make sure your loved one wears non-slip shoes or slippers with rubber soles to prevent slips indoors. And ensure they have comfortable, well-fitting shoes for outdoors too.
Establish a consistent routine: Keeping meals, medications, and bathroom breaks on a predictable schedule helps reduce confusion and the urge to rush.
Limit distractions and clutter: A calm, uncluttered space minimizes confusion and overstimulation—both of which can lead to unsafe decisions or movements.
Ensure mobility aids are used correctly: If your parent uses a cane or walker, make sure it’s properly fitted and in good condition. Reinforce its use gently but consistently.
Avoid stairs: If possible, try to help your loved one avoid using stairs frequently. This could mean installing a ramp at their home’s entrance or creating a downstairs bedroom (if their bedroom was upstairs).
This isn’t an exhaustive list when it comes to preventing the risk of falls. And the reality is that there may come a time when these preventive measures aren’t enough. If you’ve already taken these steps but your mom (or dad) with dementia keeps falling, it might be time to explore other options.
When Falls Keep Happening: What to Do Next
You’ve taken steps to make the home safer—cleared the clutter, installed grab bars, and encouraged your loved one to use their walker. But the falls keep happening and your worry grows with each one.
If this sounds familiar, please know: it’s not your fault, you’re not alone, and there’s a solution.
As dementia progresses, fall prevention for dementia patients often requires more than just environmental changes. Sometimes, what your loved one truly needs is ongoing support from a trained in-home care professional—someone who understands the complexities of dementia, knows how to spot subtle fall risks, and can be there in the moments when you can’t.
Getting your loved one an expert in-home caregiver can be life-changing—for both your parent and for you. An in-home caregiver can:
Provide hands-on assistance with walking, toileting, and transfers
Monitor changes in behavior that may signal increased fall risk
Maintain consistent routines that reduce confusion and wandering
Offer gentle companionship and reassurance that promotes calm and safety
And if your loved one needs help around the clock? There are even caregiver agencies that can provide 24-hour in-home care so that your loved one has support at all hours of the day.
If you’re feeling unsure about what to do next, it may be time to bring in help you can trust. Fall prevention in elderly parents with dementia is a journey—and we’re here to help.
Commonwise Home Care Risk Mitigation Services
At Commonwise Home Care, we understand that caring for a parent with dementia can feel overwhelming—especially when their safety is on the line. That’s why we offer more than just caregiving. We offer comprehensive risk mitigation services designed to protect your loved one from falls and other preventable dangers in the home.
Our approach to fall prevention for dementia patients goes beyond the basics. Every care plan starts with a thoughtful in-home and health assessment, where we look closely at your loved one’s physical, cognitive, and emotional needs—as well as the safety of their living environment.
Here’s how we help reduce the risk of falls and other incidents:
Personalized care planning that accounts for your loved one’s memory loss, mobility, and behavioral patterns
Daily hands-on support with walking, toileting, and transferring—reducing risky moments throughout the day
Home safety consultations to identify hidden hazards like poor lighting, loose rugs, or unsteady furniture
Structured routines that minimize confusion, reduce wandering and support balance and calm
Ongoing caregiver monitoring to recognize early warning signs of decline or increased fall risk
But fall prevention is just one piece of the puzzle. We also help mitigate other common risks for seniors with dementia, including forgetting medications, isolation and loneliness, and malnutrition.
With the right team by your side, you can stop living in crisis mode and start feeling confident that your parent is safe, supported, and thriving at home.
If you’re ready to get support for your loved one, contact us today. Our experienced caregivers are here to help you and your elderly loved one.