FALLS PREVENTION

Fall Facts

Falls are a lot more common than you might think. Some 30% of older people living in the community fall each year rising to 50% of those aged 85 and over.

Anyone can fall but as we get older falling can become more of a worry.

Falls represent the most frequent and serious type of accident in the over 65 age group.

In the UK there are over a million falls each year with one in five of these requiring medical attention.

Even those with no physical injury can have a major impact on daily life and can destroy confidence, increase isolation and reduce independence.

Falls can often result in a "long lie" when a person who is unable to get up from the floor. This can have potentially serious consequences such as hypothermia, dehydration and pressure sores.

A "long lie" of 12 hours or more can seriously affect a person's recovery from a fall.

Falls often result in fractures (broken bones), most commonly in the hips and wrists. People with thin bones as a result of osteoporosis, are likely to sustain fractures more often.

crutches

Falls Consequences

Falls and fall related injuries are a major health concern associated with many consequences including:

Physical

Discomfort and pain
Serious injury
Long term disability

Social

Loss of independence
Loss of social interaction
Move to residential care
Financial costs of help/care/hospital
Decreased quality of life

Psychological

Loss of confidence
Loss of independence
Fear and Anxiety
Depression

Falls Risk Factors

There are many risk factors for falls in younger people falls tend to be as a result of environmental factors. As we get older they usually have more than one cause and are generally the result of an individual having a combination of risk factors. The greater the number of risk factors to which you are exposed the greater the probability of a fall.

Are you at Risk?

This list is designed to help you identify whether you may be at risk of falling. None of these can predict that you will fall, but if any are true for you then you can seek more targeted help and advice from your health professional.

Have you had one or more falls in the last year?
Do you find it difficult to get out of a low chair or off the toilet?
Do you take more than 4 medicines each day?
Do you sometimes feel dizzy when you stand or get up from bed?
Do you have problems with your vision or have you recently started wearing bi or vari focal lenses?
Are you unsteady on your feet, have poor balance, take shuffling or uneven steps, unable to balance on one leg?
Do you have problems with your feet or footwear?
Do you have difficulty hearing spoken conversation?
Do you have trouble sleeping?
Do you have problems with your continence, bladder or bowels?
Do you have poor diet or increased alcohol intake?
Do you have a medical condition such as stroke, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease or low blood pressure?
Does your home have potential hazards such as steps, rugs, clutter, poor lighting or feel cold?

What can I do to reduce the risk?

Those individuals who fall are 2 to 3 times more likely to fall again. However, falls are not an inevitable result of ageing. Many falls can be prevented if you are aware of the risks and can manage changes to your health, environment and lifestyle.

Top tips

Keep physically active
Make your home safe
Understand your medicines
Check your sight and hearing
Wear sensible shoes and keep feet healthy
Eat well, drink plenty fluids, limit alcohol
Be aware of changes in your health

The information on the following sites offers valuable advice that can help can help to reduce your risk.

Avoiding Falls in Later Life

This health information package on falls prevention has been produced for you by the Centre for Health Care of Older People at Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry with support from the Health Foundation.

The package is aimed at older adults, their relatives and carers. It provides you with detailed and up to date information on prevention, causes, consequences and treatment of falls in older people.

Its interactive pictorial format makes it both simple to use, interesting and easy to follow.

The Fall Demonstration information package is available online.

foot accident

Help the Aged

The Help the Aged website provides falls prevention advice and guidance as well as an excellent range of resources to download.

The leaflet ‘Staying Steady’ gives practical advice on how you can improve your strength, balance and mobility.

And, in the exercise materials section the exercise book ‘Strength and Balance Exercises for Healthy Ageing’ gives clear descriptions and instruction of exercises to help maintain your strength and balance.

For more information please Help the Aged see the website.

Chair Based Exercise

For those of you who may not have exercised for some time or are unsteady on your feet then Chair Based Exercise may be for you. These exercises have been shown to be beneficial at maintaining and or promoting independence and mobility in older people. You can gradually build up your stamina and ability by doing exercise in a chair, providing a good starting point to progress to more challenging gait and balance work.

More information about Chair Based Exercise.

Balance

A new website is available for older people to help them assess what activities they should undertake to reduce their risk of falling. Designed by the University of Southampton and RioMed, the site is part of a research project that enables older people to identify factors that increase their risk of falling and to plan an exercise programme around their needs and requirements.

Find out more on Balance Training.

Other useful web sites

Click the links below to view other useful websites relating to falls and maintaining healthy lifestyles which you may find useful:

Prevention of falls network Europe

National osteoporosis society

Later life training

Age Concern

Independent living