Dr. Mary Tinetti of Yale University suggests the following to help reduce the prospects for falling:
Special exercises to improve balance and strength.
Tapering off fall-inducing medications, if the patient is stable or has alternatives.
Having an occupational therapist assess and fix hazards unique to each home, such as removing slip-inducing rugs, adding stair rails, telling the frail to get help carrying laundry down steep staircases.
For people with thin bones, wearing a hip protector, a plastic or padded cushion that acts as something of a shock absorber for that vulnerable joint.
The British Medical Journal recently reported that in German nursing homes, hip protectors decreased broken hips by 40 percent. They're not popular, mostly because they do add some bulk under clothing. But they are widely marketed, although there's no data to say which style works best, Tinetti says.