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Whilst it's true that falling is a natural part of ageing which can have devastating consequences, what's not true is the common belief by old and young alike that falls are just another inconvenience to put up with.
There are many things we can all do to reduce the risk of falls, from taking part in strength balance exercise, to having regular eye tests. Falls Awareness Week offers the perfect opportunity to find out more about the services and activities available in your area.
Next year's event will take place from 18-22 June 2012 with the theme of falls and bone health. To find out more about holding an event, sign up to our Preventing Falls e-bulletin by emailing falls@ageuk.org.uk
Events: over 1,000 activities, ranging from exercise taster sessions to grimy glasses events, took place throughout the UK from 20-24 June 2011, and even some as far away as Malta and Brazil!
You can still check to see what took place and find services in your area by using our Local Directory on the right-hand side of this page.
Participants: more than 50,000 people were reached through events, and based on our survey of attendees, an estimated:
Media: our story on poor vision and falls generated over 350 articles in a range of national and online newspapers, including the Daily Express, the Daily Mail and BBC News online, as well as local and regional coverage of individual events.
Gill is 73 and lives in the West Midlands. Before attending her local Falls Awareness Week event in June, Gill had experienced four falls, one of which left her in A&E with heavy bruising and a suspected fractured skull. Despite the treatment she received for her falls, it wasn't until she attended Move it or lose it! in the local shopping mall during Falls Awareness Week that she discovered the importance of strength and balance exercise in preventing falls. As a result of her visit to the event, Gill has told us she will be arranging a visit to her GP, joining an exercise class, and of course, telling a friend about what she learned!
The following Age UK publications and pages will also provide you with information about preventing falls:
Download our staying steady guide (PDF 577 KB)
Download strength and balance exercises for healthy ageing (PDF 481KB)
For more information on local exercise and falls prevention services, visit the Falls Directory
You can also read the Falls Awareness Week 2011 press release to find out more about poor vision and falls.
This year we held a webinar for professionals working with older people to find out more about the links between vision and falls, and the resources and research available to support service development. Sessions included:
The webinar is available to watch on demand by clicking on the following link; by clicking on this link you can also download the Q&A factsheet, slides and a list of resources
Watch the webinar and download resources
New physical activity guidelinesNew UK-wide Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines have been launched and, for the first time, include a life-course approach and specific guidelines for older adults.
10 steps to a successful exercise pathway The Prevention of Falls Network Earth has published practical advice on how to set up exercise services within falls prevention. The articles include information on marketing, coordination, assessments, monitoring and communication.
For more news and upcoming events sign up to our Preventing Falls e-bulletin by emailing falls@ageuk.org.uk
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Use our local directory to discover a Falls Awareness Week close to you
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Find a range of resources and research materials on physical activity in older adults
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