Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Falls are the most common accident across all groups, but falls are preventable.
With this in mind, the Western Health and Social Care Trust held a number of successful events recently to educate members of the public, staff and service providers on what actions they can take to prevent falls.
The Trust said that falls can have a very serious impact, resulting in pain and injury and in some cases even death, so it is important to take measures to prevent them.
Falls are the single biggest cause of accidental injury in the home and sadly are the largest cause of accidental death among people over 65 years of age in the UK.
Falls can have a huge impact on people’s lives – from physical injuries and death, to long term health effects and disabilities, to trauma and poor mental health, loss of mobility, loneliness, social isolation and loss of independence.
Falls costs the NHS and wider healthcare systems over £4 billion every year.
The Western Trust said: “A person’s general health, sometimes physical and medical conditions that are common in later life, the types of medication a person is taking can also increase risk of falling, whether a person is active or not is another factor to consider, poor diet, nutrition and dehydration are all risk factors for falling.”
Some hazards the Western Trust pointed out are: Raised threshold strips, uneven surfaces under foot, poor lighting, trailing wires, cluttered stairs, no stair rails, poor footwear.
The local health authority advised people to start a conversation about falls.
Ask the person if they have had a fall that they have not told anyone about. Ask them about the things that worry them about having a fall. Take time to listen and understand their health, constraints and capabilities. Put yourself in the place of the person you are talking with.
Look for and remove hazards together, could the person benefit from additional lighting or strength and balance exercises? Ask when the last time the person had their medication reviewed by their doctor. When did the person last have an eye test or a hearing check?
Ann Marie Conlon, Falls Integrated Pathway Co-ordinator at the Western Trust said: “In 2021 there were 290 deaths as a result of falls in Northern Ireland. One in three people over 65 years of age will fall at least once this year with 50% of people over 85 years old.
“You’d be forgiven for thinking that falls are part of ageing – something that ‘just happens’ as you get older. However, there are many simple things that people can do to prevent a fall, and its potentially devastating consequences.
“Falling can have a major impact on lives, particularly among older people. Falling affects confidence and independence, with many people who have experienced a fall being fearful of having another. This in turn can impact on physical activity levels, strength, balance, mobility and independence.”
“Many falls result in minor injuries; however we also know that falls have resulted in serious injuries such as fractures, brain injuries and unfortunately in some cases death.
“The contributing factors for falls are multiple; however they are not part of growing old. Timely intervention can help to prevent falls.”
“Maintaining an active lifestyle and especially keeping good levels of strength and balance can help to prevent falls. Simple changes to the home environment can also reduce your risk of falling.”
Annmarie continued: “I would also like to thank everyone who has supported the delivery of events during Falls Awareness Week this year. Please share the knowledge gained to help keep people safer.”
This post was originally published on here
