Seniors risk falls while running errands, study says

When running an errand, walk carefully.

While most falls for seniors occur at home, falls outside the home typically happen while doing everyday tasks, according to a new study.

Researchers from UMass Medical School found that seniors had twice the risk of falling when "walking out of necessity" compared to recreational walking.

Most of the falls happened on streets, sidewalks or in parking lots and were far more serious than other falls.

They concluded that "the environment may play a significant role" in causing a fall; for instance, cracked pavement or slippery sidewalks.