This week is Falls Prevention Awareness Week. This is an annual event which aims to highlight what people can do to reduce their risk of falling and what local services are available to help them with this.
To mark Falls Prevention Awareness Week, Age UK have shared advice for older constituents on how they can avoid a fall.
Advice on reducing risk of falling
A fall can leave older people feeling quite shaken and even the thought of falling might affect their confidence. Although the risk of falls grows as people age, they are not inevitable.
Our helpful webpage (Age UK) on falls includes information on what your older constituents can do to prevent a fall, such as:
- Staying active
- Supporting their bone health
- Taking care of their eyes
In addition to this, our information guide on falls prevention (Age UK) includes information on how they can prevent falls at home, with recommendations to:
- Ensure that there are non-slip mats under their rugs
- Ask for a care needs assessment
- Ensure they have handrails on both sides of any stairs in the house
For further support, the guide includes information about how older people can get help from the NHS, and potentially be referred for a falls risk assessment.
Age UK Information and Advice
The information and advice guides are free to download via their website, and your older constituents can also call their free advice line to order free printed copies.
Age UK also provide support through their free advice line on 0800 055 6112. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year.
Finally, they have specialist advisers at our local Age UKs. These specialist advisers provide information and advice to older residents, their carers, relatives, and friends by telephone, email, in writing, or in person.
