Falls prevention: simple steps can make a difference

We’re supporting this year’s Falls Prevention Awareness Week (21^st-25^th September), which aims to raise awareness of the ways people can reduce their risk of falling.

While falls can become more likely in later life, having a fall is not an inevitable part of ageing, and there are steps everyone can take to reduce their risk.

Moving more can make a huge difference, improving strength, balance and posture, reducing the risk of falls and providing an instant well-being boost. Even a small amount of movement every day can work wonders.

There are lots of reasons why getting moving, or moving more, can be tricky. You might have been ill and lost some strength and confidence, a health condition might affect your mobility or cause pain, or you might have got out of the habit and feel unsure where to start.

We’ve created a useful booklet, Moving More, which provides lots of information about the sort of things you can do to lead a more active lifestyle, improving your confidence and motivation and helping you to stay independent and reduce your risk of having a fall in later life. It also includes some simple exercise routines that you can complete at home. You can find the booklet online here or, if you’d like to receive a printed copy in the post, call us on 0345 450 1276 or email media@ageukoxfordshire.org.uk.

We also run a variety of exercise classes, both in the community and online. These include Stay Strong and Steady, a falls prevention exercise and information programme for those who have had a fall, or are worried about falling, as well as Strength and Balance classes. You can find out more about the classes here or call us on 01235 849 403 for more information.

This week also sees the launch of a new Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust website. We were pleased to contribute to the development of the site, which brings together a wealth of information and advice for older people, families and professionals.