When we’ve helped patients who’ve been in hospital to get back on their feet, we want them to stay on them – and that’s why this week we’re launching a new Falls Prevention Group.
Run by our Physiotherapy team, the group is designed to reduce the risk of falls in some of our frailer patients, by working with them on everything from diet to exercise, as well as identifying potential risks around the home.
Team Lead Physiotherapist, Claire Dawson, said: “We’re launching a pilot of the group this week in the Community Hub at Sir John Mason House in Winterton which is all about empowering patients to feel more confident.
“Lots of people think it won’t happen to them, but the truth is that around one in three adults over the of 65 in the UK will have at least one fall in a year – and for those over the age of 80, the risk increases to one in two.
“This group is designed for people over the age of 18 who are largely able to get around independently, or with minimum support from a friend or family member, but who may either have recently had a fall or could be at risk of a fall. The aim of the group is to increase their confidence, as well as giving them practical advice on simple things they can do to reduce their risk of falling.”
Some of the topics that will be covered in the sessions include:
• Safety within the home
• The role of diet in reducing the risk of falls
• Safe footwear and footcare advice
• Getting up after a fall
Claire added: “We’re also working with local leisure services to help patients find ways to stay active, which is a major factor in reducing the risk of falls.
“I’m really looking forward to getting the pilot group up and running. We’ve already run a similar session on a smaller scale and the feedback we have had from patients was great.
“The first full pilot session is this week. The group will complete a total of seven two-hour sessions as part of this initial course, and we hope to run further groups from there.”
