Falls are not an inevitable part of ageing and by following the five-point plan in our "Stand up to Falls Guide" you can reduce the risk of a fall in older age.
People aged 65 and older have the highest risk of falling, with 30% of people older than 65 and 50% of people older than 80 falling at least once a year (NICE 2013).
A fall can be a huge set-back for an older person and can potentially cause serious injury, or even death. Falls cost the NHS more than £1 billion a year and account for 4 million hospital bed days.
Injuries caused by a fall can take time to get over, but often it is the loss of confidence that results which has the biggest impact on the person. This in turn can lead to reduced independence and can be the first step in the path of decline for an older person. It does not have to be this way and with proper guidance and support at home, older people can keep their independence and stay ‘falls free’.
From keeping active to eating well, there are many ways to stand up to falls. Home Instead offers FIVE key ways to help prevent falls amongst older people.