Are you or a loved one at risk of a fall?

Falls are one of the main reasons that older adults lose their independence.

Not only can falls result in fractures and sustained injuries, but they can also have a long-term effect on your confidence, impacting independence.

With some careful thought and preparation, however, falls can be prevented.

The growing risk of falls

Levels of physical activity have fallen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly true in over 65s, where there has been a large decrease in strength and balance activity leading to an increase in what's known as 'deconditioning' - a change in physical fitness due to inactivity.

The Department of Health and Social Care reports the immediate outcome of deconditioning is likely to be seen in an increase in falls.

However, the risk of falling doesn't have to be an inevitable part of ageing.

By improving strength and balance, you can reduce the risk of falling before an accident occurs, helping you or your loved ones remain safe and independent for longer.

How falls be prevented

There are three important areas to focus on that will help reduce the risk of having a fall:

1. Frailty is a key contributory factor in falls

This is your resilience or ability to recover from illness and injury and presents issues like reduced muscle strength and fatigue.

Older adults classified as frail are 3.6 times more likely to have a fall than those that are not frail. Yet, it's possible to slow and even decrease fragility through exercise and diet. This in turn can reduce the risk of a fall, and improve quality of life.

2. Environmental causes around the home

Between 30%-50% of falls are due to environmental causes, such as poor lighting and slippery floors.

Some simple checks and modifications could help fall-proof the home and make it a safer environment.

3. Worrying about falling can lead to a decline in physical activity

Another key factor is worrying about falling, perhaps following a recent fall or illness, which can leave you feeling weak and unsteady.

This in turn can lead to a decline in physical activity, which can have a detrimental effect on maintaining strength and balance.

This can result in a vicious cycle of fear, inactivity, loss of strength and a greater likelihood of falling.

 

Understanding your risk of a fall

Understanding the causes of falls and the risks involved will go a long way to ensuring that you or a loved one avoids unnecessary falls at home or out-and-about.

 

Solutions to prevent and detect falls

Solutions such as personal fall alarms can ensure that, if you fall, you can get help more quickly.

Personal alarms can reduce overall hospital admissions in older adults by 50% and reduce the length of a stay in hospital from 15 days to 8 days.

Professor James Brown,
Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing

Preventative solutions combine activity monitoring and one-to-one guidance and advice to reduce frailty and the risk of falls.

A  fall detection alarm can provide reassurance that help is available 24-hours a day in the event of a fall.