In 2020, the deaths of 36,508 U.S. residents 65 and older were related to falls, representing 86 percent of all fatal falls that year, according to research published in the journal JAMA.

Based on death certificate data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the research found that fatal falls in this age group had increased from 10,097 in 1999, and at a rate that more than doubled in about two decades - from 29 deaths per 100,000 people to 69 deaths per 100,000 people.

The research notes that falls have become the leading cause of injury for the age group. More than 1 in 4 people 65 or older fall each year, according to the CDC (although the agency says less than half tell their doctor). About 1 in 5 falls results in a serious injury, such as broken bones or a head injury, and 3 million older adults are treated in emergency rooms each year because of falls.

The report did not delineate what caused the falls included in its data, but health experts generally point to such potential causes as failing eyesight or hearing, problems with balance and gait, medications that can spark dizziness or confusion, high or low blood pressure, and more. They say preventing falls starts with addressing such issues - getting vision checked and having a doctor review one's medications (including over-the-counter ones) to avoid medication-induced problems, for instance.

But prevention also should include staying physically active, doing exercise that can improve balance and strength, and fall-proofing one's home by removing tripping hazards such as throw rugs, upgrading lighting and adding grab bars in the bathroom.