Falls prevention

As you get older, your risk of falling increases. Even if you're still active, you could have poor eyesight, slower reaction times, weaker muscles, or problems with your balance - all of which can lead to accidents or falls.

Tips to prevent you from falling:

• keep your home clutter and obstacle free, especially stairs, so you can move around easily
• use high wattage bulbs to provide good lighting
• wear well-fitting shoes or slippers
• get help if you need to lift something heavy
• do gentle exercise to improve your balance and muscle strength
• have regular health and eye tests
• eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of calcium to keep your bones strong

If you fall when you're alone, get help and keep yourself warm. If you're worried about getting help, you may want to get an alarm that you can wear around your neck. Pressing the alarm will alert response centre staff and they'll ring you to see what's wrong.

When you next see your doctor or nurse, tell them about your fall. They can check whether a health problem is causing you to fall and if it's likely to happen again. If it is, they may give you medication to improve your condition.

Make sure you tell your family that you have had a fall so that they can keep an eye on you and make sure you get any treatment you might need.

If you are worried about falling or have fallen in the past, you should look at ways to make you feel safer in your home. By adapting your home with grab handles in the areas you use most could help you move around your home easier. Using equipment such as a life-line pendant could ensure you get the help you need if you do get into difficulty.

Falls are a major health issue, particularly among adults aged 65 or older, or anyone with an impairment which affects balance and stability.

Working with Kent Community Health Trust and Involve Kent Kent County Council offer fall prevention classes to people who are at risk of, or have a history of, falling.