Centre for Ageing Better - Raising the Bar Report

Falls are not an inevitable part of ageing and muscle weakness and poor balance are the two most common modifiable risk factors for falls. Although NHS rehabilitation services provide strength and balance programmes, they are often of limited length and there is a need for effective community-based strength and balance programmes. However, community-based programmes are often underfunded and do not join up to work together.

The Centre for Ageing Better commissioned the University of Manchester’s Healthy Ageing Research Group to bridge the gap between evidence and practice. It looks directly at communities to better understand their local challenges and identify practical examples of doing things differently. Their new report, “Raising the bar on strength and balance” presents the models of delivery, issues, barriers and innovative solutions that support effective community-based programmes.