Falls Prevention Awareness Week – take care of yourself the Brendoncare way

Every year, about a third of people aged over 65 experience one or more falls. This figure goes up to almost a half of people aged over 80 who still live in the community.

As a charity which empowers older people to live well, Brendoncare offers services and support to ensure our residents and members stay safe while maintaining their independence.

We spoke to chartered physiotherapist Karen Roberts, a regular visitor to Brendoncare Froxfield, to find out more about what can cause a fall and its consequences.

She told us that there are several causes, among them:

• changes in the body caused by the normal ageing process
• certain medical conditions
• side effects of some medications or a combination of several
• excessive alcohol
• being physically inactive
• poor nutrition or dehydration
• a sudden drop in blood pressure (usually when getting up)

Psychological:

The psychological impact of having a fall can be considerable. A fall can result in injury, pain and distress, loss of confidence and quality of life. It can also trigger a fear of further falls. People often become less active as the result of a fall which could make falling again more likely.

People living with dementia are at greater risk due to sight and memory impairment, disorientation, physical weakness, and poor balance.

However, many falls are preventable if we take certain measures.

The NHS offers lots of useful advice about minimising risks around the home. These include immediately mopping up spillages, removing clutter and trailing wires, using non-slip mats and rugs, ensuring all areas of the house are well lit, wearing well-fitting shoes that support the ankles and taking care of your feet.

Above all, both Karen and the NHS stress the importance of exercise and staying mobile as the best ways of keeping falls to a minimum.

Regular exercise not only reduces the risk of falls, it also plays a key role in slowing the ageing process. It also reduces the risk of long term conditions like heart and lung disease, obesity and diabetes, maintaining mobility and managing depression.

Brendoncare gears many of the activities in its care homes, community, and online clubs to promoting exercise for its residents and members.

Online:

To start our Falls Prevention Awareness Week activities, Brendoncare is holding an online session called Taking Steady Steps on Tuesday 17^th September, which is free to join.

There will also be two in person Taking Steady Steps events for members.

One takes place at the Hilldene Centre in West End High Street, Hampshire, on Monday 16^th September from 2pm to 4pm (supported by the Southern Health Falls Prevention Team).

The other is at Moordown Community Centre in Dorset on Thursday 19^th September from 2pm to 4pm (supported by Dorset Healthcare Falls Prevention Team).

The sessions will include top tips on the importance of healthy nutrition and exercise to support stronger bones and muscles, plus some simple exercises to do at home.

Communities:

Both are free and open to people living in the local West End and Moordown communities.

As well as these events, there are 35 Brendoncare community clubs that offer a wide range of exercise. These include Tai Chi and Pilates that are excellent for improving balance, strength, posture and flexibility.

Our volunteer-led seated exercise clubs are the ideal place to enjoy gentle low impact exercises to help stay flexible and supple.