Falls Prevention Awareness Week

Older people were encouraged to maintain physical health with some simple steps in Falls Prevention Awareness Week 18-22 September 2023, while younger people are now being shown how to get involved with this.

Falls Prevention Awareness Week (18-22 September 2023), was a great time to remind ourselves and others about how we can prevent falls in the home and share tips and advice for loved ones. At Age Cymru Dyfed falls prevention features high all year round - for example, our information and advice team, dementia support services and home help service Byw Adref offer help/advice to you and your loved ones in varying ways.

CEO of Age Cymru Dyfed, Simon Wright says;

“Life after a fall can be daunting, and at Age Cymru Dyfed we do our best to actually prevent these from happening in our home between our information and advice team, home help and dementia support teams. The taskforce currently between Age Cymru and other key services is a great idea for younger people to get involved and play their part too.”

Deputy CEO Age Cymru Dyfed, Caroline Davies says;

“Our Information and Advice team at Age Cymru Dyfed support families with concerns about elderly falls advising them of options being  offered in their community, such as fall detection bracelets, that detect the fall and raise the alarm should one occur.” 

Lisa McFadzean, Project Manager, Age Cymru Dyfed Dementia Services says;

Our Dementia Service at Age Cymru Dyfed refers clients for small adaptations that are undertaken for free and can include items such as grab rails, ramps, step adjustments, etc. When larger adaptations are required, such as an extension to accommodate a wet room for example, we advise and assist clients with the grants process, including assessing their eligibility and assisting them to access an Occupational Therapy assessment.

"We also advise clients on options in relation to care and support at home, allowing them to continue to meet their personal care needs, as well as mitigate the risk of falls and injuries when undertaking these tasks.“

Carol Williams, Byw Adref says;

"Our home help team does checks on safety in the homes ahead of providing home help to over fifties, including looking for trip hazards and the like." 

Request help

For help from Age Cymru Dyfed email reception@agecymrudyfed.org.uk or ring us on 03333 447 874. Also check out our Byw Adref, Dementia and Information and Advice support pages.

A joined up taskforce in Wales - how young people can help with falls prevention

Age Cymru is also working hard as part of a taskforce, on a Falls Prevention campaign aimed at young people - an alliance of third sector organisations such as Age Cymru, Age Connects Wales, and Care & Repair Cymru alongside representatives of emergency response services, NHS staff from different specialisms across Wales and other key stakeholders. The Taskforce will be urging older people, with help from their families and friends, to maintain their physical health through the following simple measures:  

• Stay active - As we age our muscle strength and balance deteriorate, so try exercises that improve your strength, posture, and balance  
• Maintain bone health - Keep your bones healthy and strong by eating calcium-rich foods, getting enough vitamin D from sunlight, and doing some weight-bearing exercises
• Keep hydrated – Try to drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day to stop you feeling light-headed
• Eat well - Try to eat something, even if it's small snacks instead of main meals so you have enough energy to stay strong  
• Eyes and ears - Tell your doctor if you‘re having problems with your vision or hearing as both can affect your balance   
• Manage your medicines - Certain medications can make you feel faint or dizzy and affect your balance. Speak to your pharmacist for advice 
• Look after your feet - good foot care and footwear helps prevent falls. 

There is a call for young people to play a vital role in helping older people in their lives to reduce the risk of falls, according to the National Falls Prevention Taskforce Wales. Launching at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin in Gorseinon, Swansea, as part of National Falls Prevention Awareness week, the Taskforce is encouraging children throughout Wales to help older people spot trip hazards around the home such as trailing wires, frayed carpets, poor lighting, and misplaced items on stairs, via a specially designed educational pack.    

The pack, which has been produced in conjunction with Swansea Bay and Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Boards, will also help children better understand the importance of maintaining physical strength and balance to help prevent falls for both older people and themselves. The Taskforce will also be inviting primary schools across Wales to visit an interactive webpage containing a falls ‘incident scene’. 

According to NHS Wales falls are a common, but often overlooked, cause of injury.  It says around one in three adults aged over 65 and half of people aged over 80 will have at least one fall a year. The Taskforce, formed says although most falls don't cause serious injury, they are often the start of regular falling and deteriorating health.  

Request a pack

For more information about the school’s resource pack and falls prevention visit www.agecymru/falls.org.uk or call 029 2043 1555. Also see Age Cymru ¦ Falls (ageuk.org.uk)