Falls awareness week: steady on your feet
12 September 2024
As Falls Awareness Week is just around the corner (16 to 20 September), we want to share information about the Falls Management Service and how you access support and find out more about everyday safety and wellbeing.
Falls are a concern and worry for many, particularly among older people, as they can often result in injuries that can have long-lasting effects on their health and independence. However, falls in older people are often preventable, and reducing falls is important for maintaining the health, wellbeing and independence of the elderly population. West Northamptonshire Council's Falls Management Service is on hand to help individuals minimise falls and reduce their risks.
There are a wide-range of service across Northamptonshire which people can access to support their wellbeing and reduce the risk of falls. These include:
Steady on your feet
There is a dedicated website which hosts advice and tips about how to reduce the risk of falling: Information and Advice - Steady On Your Feet (Northamptonshire)
The website includes lots of advice and “top tips”, and where you can undertake a self assessment and build an action plan about how best to stay active and independent, and reduce the risk of having a fall: Steady On Your Feet Assessment Tool
Get up & go
Northamptonshire Sport coordinates a falls prevention programme across the county. Get Up & Go strength and balance exercise classes improve the mobility and confidence of participants. They are fun and friendly, and very effective. The classes aim to improve strength, balance, mobility and confidence and are delivered by qualified instructors. They classes will help individuals to:
- reduce falls
- reduce injury due to falls
- improve balance & strength
- improve ability to complete everyday tasks
- increase stamina
- improve mood
- improve confidence and independence
You can find out more about the classes here: Get Up & Go
ICAN Get up & go
ICAN Get Up & Go is funded by the Integrated Care System (the NHS) and offer support to for those with much less mobility and is by referral only, for 24 weeks. With West Northants classes currently available in Daventry, Towcester and two in Northampton. Find out more about sessions near you.
Our falls management service
WNC's Falls management services can help identify, assess, and reduce the risk factors associated with falls. These services typically involve healthcare professionals, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and falls technicians who create personalised fall prevention plans. These plans often include exercises to improve strength and balance, home safety assessments, walking aids/minor adaptations, signposting to other services based on individual needs and educational resources for individuals and caregivers. To make a falls referral you can submit the form on our website.