Sources

Every source on this desk

A fact on this site is only a fact if it is on a public page we opened. Numbers stay in the source's own words and year. Where a source is silent, the article says so. Bank entries were checked 10 September 2026. Extra .gov, fire-district and Area Agency pages used on this desk were opened again on 10 and 11 September 2026.

This page is a list, not a ranking. Nothing here was paid for. The one paid placement on the site is labelled on the front page and in each article footer.

National Institute on Aging

• Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and PreventionNational Institute on Aging. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: more than one in four people age 65 or older fall each year; what to do after a fall; do not get up the wrong way; call 911 if hurt or unable to get up; keep a charged phone; tell the doctor about a fall even without pain; rushed bathroom movement; blood pressure that drops on standing; medicines and fall risk; home hazards; sleep; physical therapy or a walking aid after a reported fall.
• Preventing Falls at Home: Room by RoomNational Institute on Aging. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: many falls happen at home; leave a bathroom light on at night or use a night light that turns on in the dark; night lights and switches close to the bed; flashlight and phone by the bed; grab bars; no throw rugs; motion-activated plug-in lights; emergency response systems, smartwatches and smart speakers; a doctor may suggest a therapist or nurse visit the home; state and local home-modification programs; Eldercare Locator.
• Does an Older Adult in Your Life Need Help?National Institute on Aging. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: falls and trouble walking among signs someone may need extra support; the best way to know what someone needs is to ask them directly.
• Taking Care of Yourself: Tips for CaregiversNational Institute on Aging. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: caregivers tend to have a higher risk of physical and mental health issues, sleep problems, and chronic conditions such as high blood pressure.
• What Is Respite Care?National Institute on Aging. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: respite care is short-term relief for primary caregivers and may last from a few hours to several weeks.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Facts About Older Adult FallsCDC, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Page reviewed 8 September 2026. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: more than one out of four older people falls each year; falling once doubles your chances of falling again; an older person who falls and hits their head should see their doctor right away; fear of falling may cause a person to cut everyday activity and then become weaker.
• Preventing Falls and Hip FracturesCDC. Dated 27 January 2026. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: ask your doctor or pharmacist to review medicines that might make you dizzy or sleepy; have eyes checked at least once a year; exercises that make legs stronger and improve balance, with tai chi as an example; add grab bars; get rid of trip hazards.
• STEADI: Older Adult Fall PreventionCDC. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: STEADI was created for healthcare providers who treat older adults at risk of falling, or who may have fallen in the past.
• STEADI Patient and Caregiver ResourcesCDC. Verified 11 September 2026.Used as the public index of the Stay Independent, Check for Safety, Postural Hypotension and family-caregiver brochures linked below.
• Stay Independent: Learn more about fall prevention (PDF)CDC STEADI brochure, 2023. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: the twelve yes-or-no statements; a fall in the past year scores two points; four points or more means you may be at risk; rushing to the bathroom, especially at night, increases your chance of falling; people who are worried about falling are more likely to fall.
• Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults (PDF)CDC STEADI brochure, 2017. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: night lights, some of which go on by themselves after dark; a lamp close to the bed; throw rugs; objects and cords on the floor; grab bars next to and inside the tub and next to the toilet; non-slip mats; the path from bed to bathroom being dark.
• Postural Hypotension: What it is and How to Manage it (PDF)CDC STEADI brochure, 2017. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: symptoms more likely in the morning when blood pressure is naturally lower, and when straining on the toilet; get out of bed slowly: first sit up, sit on the side of the bed, then stand up; ask if any medicines should be reduced or stopped.
• Family Caregivers: Protect Your Loved Ones from Falling (PDF)CDC STEADI brochure, 2018. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: tell a healthcare provider right away if your loved one has fallen, is worried about falling, or seems unsteady; keep an updated medication list including over-the-counter medicines and supplements and show it to a provider or pharmacist.

Medicare.gov

• Home Health Services CoverageMedicare.gov. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: Medicare does not pay for 24-hour-a-day care at home, or for custodial or personal care that helps with daily living when that is the only care needed; you must need part-time or intermittent skilled services and be homebound; in most cases that means up to 8 hours a day combined, for a maximum of 28 hours a week.
• Long Term Care CoverageMedicare.gov. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: Medicare does not pay for long-term care; you may be eligible through Medicaid if you meet your state's rules, or you can buy private long-term care insurance.
• Durable Medical Equipment CoverageMedicare.gov. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: how Medicare defines durable medical equipment, and the 20 percent coinsurance after the Part B deductible. This desk does not claim a grab bar is or is not covered.

Missouri and St. Louis metro agencies

• The Three Types of Care in the HomeMissouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: home health (Medicare, skilled, part-time); in-home care (Medicaid, homemaker and personal care, requested at the DSDS Call Center 866-835-3505); private duty or private pay, with no physician order needed for aide personal care, respite or companion care, and no license issued in Missouri for that type of company.
• Healthcare (MO HealthNet)Missouri Department of Social Services. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: MO HealthNet (Missouri Medicaid) can help with benefits not normally covered through Medicare, like personal care services.
• Area Agencies on AgingMissouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: Missouri has 10 Area Agencies on Aging; the Missouri Senior Resource Line at 1-800-235-5503 connects callers to their local AAA after they enter a ZIP code.
• Aging Ahead, About UsAging Ahead. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: Aging Ahead is one of 10 Area Agencies on Aging in Missouri and has served St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin and Jefferson counties since 1973.
• Aging Ahead, I'm a CaregiverAging Ahead. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: Family Caregiver Support Program may include, as funding permits, in-home respite, adult day services, durable medical equipment, minor home safety modifications, and incontinence or nutritional supplies; Community Options Specialists at (636) 207-0847.
• St. Louis Area Agency on AgingCity of St. Louis. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: SLAAA serves older adults who reside within the City of St. Louis, at (314) 612-5918.
• Eldercare LocatorAdministration for Community Living. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: a public service of ACL connecting people to services for older adults; 1-800-677-1116.
• United Way 211United Way of Greater St. Louis. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: dial 211 to reach a trained resource specialist 24/7 in Greater St. Louis.

Family Caregiver Alliance

• Hiring In-Home HelpFamily Caregiver Alliance. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: a live-in plus an 8-hour shift for someone who needs someone awake and available during the night; agency versus private hire (screening, pay, taxes, and a substitute when a worker is sick); tell a parent that accepting hired care is something they can do to help you.
• Caregiving 101: On Being a CaregiverFamily Caregiver Alliance. Verified 10 September 2026.Used for: most people, when asked if there is anything someone can do, reply that they are doing fine.

West county fire protection districts

These pages are directories. None of the four district sites described a lift-assist policy in text on the days they were checked, so this desk does not claim what any of them will do on a given night. For an emergency, every one of them says call 911.

• Monarch Fire Protection Districtmonarchfpd.org. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: administration and non-emergency (314) 514-0900; the site names Chesterfield, Wildwood, Maryland Heights, Clarkson Valley, St. Louis County, Creve Coeur and Ballwin.
• Metro West Fire Protection District, Contact Usmetrowest-fire.org. Verified 11 September 2026 via the district's own contact page (service request (636) 458-2100; emergency 911; mailing address PO Box 310, Wildwood, MO 63040).Used for the non-emergency service-request number. Direct fetch of the page from this desk was blocked by the host's bot protection; the same URL's public text was confirmed through a search index of that page.
• Metro West Fire Protection District, Who we aremetrowest-fire.org. Verified 11 September 2026 via indexed public text of the page, which repeats administration at 636-458-2100.
• Eureka Fire Protection Districtefpd.org. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: 636-938-5505; 4849 Highway 109, Eureka, MO 63025.
• Eureka Fire Protection District, About Usefpd.org. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: the district serves communities in southwest St. Louis County and northern Jefferson County.
• Pacific Fire Protection Districtpacificfire.org. Verified 11 September 2026.Used for: 636-257-3633; 910 West Osage Street, Pacific, MO 63069; serving Franklin, Jefferson and St. Louis Counties since 1972.

What this list is not

It is not a bibliography of everything written about falls. It is the set of URLs actually linked from a sentence on this site. If a claim is not on one of these pages, it is not on this desk.