Falls Prevention

Introduction

Falls and falls-related injuries are a major public health concern and can be a common and serious problem for older people. People who have a fall can experience an impact on both their physical and mental wellbeing. Physically people can suffer injuries, but just as damaging can be the psychological impact and a fear of falling again that can lead to isolation and loneliness.   Although most falls do not result in serious injury, some falls can lead to a hospital admission.

Falling is not an inevitable part of ageing and as there are many interventions which can substantially reduce the risk of having a fall. Falls are often multi factorial and can be a sign of underlying health issues such as frailty.  There are many services and interventions in Cardiff and Vale that aim to prevent falls and help people to age well.

Falls Prevention

As we age, we may start to find that we become a little unsteady or don't feel as strong as we used to. Other things can be happening at the same time, like more use of medications or eyesight changing. This can mean that we become more at risk of having a fall, which although for many people may not result in significant injury, it can mean that it will happen again.

We know that a third of people aged over 65 will fall every year. However, the good news is that falls are not an inevitable part of ageing, and many are preventable. This page will provide some information about how to reduce our risk of falls and where you can go if you are worried about falling.

Stay Steady Clinics

We know that sometimes people need a bit of support to be able to understand what the risk of falling is and how to take the steps needed to reduce that risk.

So, in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan we have set up clinics, run by falls specialist physiotherapists, who can provide assessments and then advice on falls risk reduction. 

These clinics are offered either face-to-face, by phone or a secure video link. To find out if these clinics would be suitable, we can ask the following questions:

1. Have you had a fall in the last year? Yes/No

2. Do you need to use your hands to get up from a chair or ever feel unsteady on your feet? Yes/No

3. Does a fear of falling stop you taking part in activities or doing daily tasks? Yes/No

If answered yes or no to any of the questions, the clinics may be a suitable service to get some advice. Contact us on 029 2183 2552 or staysteady.cardiff@wales.nhs.uk and we will contact you within a few days.

Answering ‘No’ to all 3 questions indicates low risk which can be sustained by doing regular exercise, having good nutrition, ensuring regular eyesight checks and looking after general health and wellbeing.

Visit ‘Keeping Me Well’ for more information about the services and activities that can help us to age well and reduce falls risk. The page also has lots of useful information on falls risk factors and the things that we can do to reduce them.