Coping with FALLS

Falls aren’t an inevitable part of getting older, but one in three adults over 65, and half of people aged 80 plus have at least one fall a year. Most falls don’t result in serious injury but cuts, bruising, fractures and head injury can occur, which then reduces the person’s confidence, leading to being withdrawn and losing independence.

The natural ageing process means that older people have an increased risk of falling, most commonly because of balance problems, muscle weakness, deteriorating vision, and secondary or poorly controlled long-term conditions, such as heart disease, blood pressure, dementia and dizziness.

Slips, trips and stumbling