Elderly trauma refers to an accidental injury to an older person. The top three accidental deaths in older adults are falls, collisions, and burns. Severe declines in central nervous system function lead to loss of proprioception or sensory coordination, balance, and gross motor coordination, as well as reduced hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and unsteadiness in walking. These destructive changes are often accompanied by joint stiffness, which results in reduced range of motion of the head, neck, and extremities. Older adults also often take multiple medications to control multiple diseases and conditions. Side effects of some of these medications can lead to injury or worsen a previous injury; for example, someone taking blood-thinning medications may experience a cerebral hemorrhage if they sustain a minor head injury. These activities combined put older adults at greater risk for injuries and accidents. Both the incidence of accidents and falls and the severity of their complications increase with age. Virtually all organs in the body experience declines in function as they age. One example is the decline in circulatory function due to enlarged heart muscles. This can lead to pulmonary edema or heart failure. Brain atrophy accelerates around age 70, leading to a dramatic decrease in brain volume. Since the skull does not decrease in volume, there is a large space between the two, exposing older adults to a higher risk of brain hematomas after head injuries. Decreased brain volume can lead to decreased vision, hearing, and mental status. The elderly are the fastest growing demographic in developed countries. Although they are less likely to sustain injuries and accidents than children and young adults, the death rate from accidents and injuries is higher in older adults than in children and young adults. In the United States, this age group accounts for approximately 14% of all accidental injuries, the majority of which are due to falls.