Falls Prevention
Falls information
Facts about falls
- Falls are a major cause of ill health for older people
- It is calculated that one third of over 65s are at risk of falling each year
- We have an increasing older population, reflecting national trends. 12.9% of the Barking and Dagenham population is aged 65-84
- Falls account for 62% of all fatal injuries in older people aged 65 and above (Office of National Statistics 2002, Preventing Falls in Older People, 2002)
Falls are not an inevitable part of ageing - there are a number of things that you can do in order to reduce the risks and prevent falls.
Problems falls can cause
- Falls can lead you to have a long stay in hospital
- Falls can result in you experiencing a loss of confidence, self esteem and reduced independence
- Falls can often result in a person being unable to get up from the floor. This can have potentially serious consequences such as hypothermia, bronchopneumonia and pressure sores. A period of 12 hours or more, lying on the floor, and being unable to get up can seriously affect a person's recovery from a fall
- Falls can often result in fractures, most commonly in the hips and wrists. People with thin bones, as a result of osteoporosis, are likely to sustain fractures more often. For more information please see the National Osteoporosis Society website
Consequences of a fall can be split into 3 categories:
Physical consequences
- Pain
- Serious injury
- Inability to look after oneself
- Long term disability
Social consequences
- Loss of independence
- Loss of social contacts
- Loss of home
- Move to residential care
- Financial costs of help/care/hospital
- Decreased quality of life
- Changes to daily routine
Psychological consequences
- Loss of confidence
- Loss of independence
- Fear
- Distress
- Guilt
- Blame
- Anxiety
- Embarrassment
