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National Falls Prevention Week: Five top tips if you're worried about having a fall

23/09/2024

One in three people over the age of 65 fall each year, rising to one in two people aged 80 years and above – falls in older age can result in broken bones, cuts, lacerations, and head injuries.

According to Age UK, hip fractures are the most common reason for older people needing emergency anaesthesia and surgery, and the most common cause of accidental death.

So what can you do to help prevent you or a loved one from falling over?

Here’s some top tips from Joanne Davies, East Falls Prevention Lead for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board:

  1. Well-fitting footwear – for inside and outside the house. Wearing shoes that fit well and getting regular foot care can help prevent a fall. Shoes linked to higher risk of falling include those with high or narrow heels, loose shoes that lack laces, straps, or buckles, and shoes with smooth soles.
  2. Have your eyes and hearing checked to improve our spatial judgement - Regular eye tests can find conditions that might put you more at risk of falling. Hearing changes can affect the balance centre in your inner ear and make you more likely to fall. It's important to tell a GP about any hearing problems.
  3. Remove or repair tripping hazards in your home - the easiest way to prevent falls is to keep your home neat and tidy. Remove all clutter especially from hallways and staircases. Sometimes home fixtures can contribute to falls, such as rugs or loose carpet, which can then lead to back pain and other injuries.
  4. Check medications - certain medications can lower blood pressure, which might make you feel dizzy or lightheaded if you stand up too quickly, and can result in fainting or dangerous falls. If you have these symptoms ask your doctor about your current medications and whether they may be contributing to this.
  5. Bone health – it is essential because Osteoporosis affects one in two women, and one in five men. Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. It develops slowly over several years and is often only diagnosed when a fall or sudden impact causes a bone to break (fracture).

 Simple tips for good bone health include, protein to help muscle strength, adequate calcium rich foods, and vitamin D to help absorb the calcium.

The Royal Osteoporosis society offer a wealth of information and have an Osteoporosis risk checker – so why not get checked out today.

Watch Joanne talk through these tips here and why they are important to follow: