Falls Prevention Week
Next week (18 – 24 September) is Falls Prevention Week, a national health campaign to increase awareness around falls health and injury prevention.
We want to highlight a variety of resources and activities designed to prevent falls and improve strength, flexibility, balance, and reaction times.
Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP):
The Stronger 4 Longer Campaign is a new campaign helping people aged 50 to 65 to build strength through everyday movement in order to stay well, feel younger and protect their future health. Watch the video and see some exercises to get started with on their website: Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership – Stronger 4 Longer (sasp.co.uk)
Move More Together is a programme designed to encourage inactive adults over 50 to get moving again through the support of a volunteer who can motivate, guide and of course, provide some friendly conversation! Find out more at: Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership – Move More Together (sasp.co.uk)
Public Health:
Clinton talks to Michelle Purnell from AgeUK who runs exercise sessions for people who are prone to or have a fear of falling. Watch here: Somerset Public Health Catch up – week 69, 14 September – YouTube
Age UK Somerset:
Age UK Somerset will be covering top tips on a different topic of falls prevention every day next week on social media. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram
They have also released information cards with tips on how to reduce the risk of falling.
Flexercise Workshops
Flexercise is a chair-based exercise session which uses fun props to get people moving in a relaxed, informal way. We are searching for people who have a passion for improving the health of older people and would like to become volunteers to lead Flexercise sessions in Somerset – and we are offering full training.
With more exercise classes returning post-lockdown and the Ageing Well service expanding to give more older people the opportunity to be more active, so we need more volunteers to help deliver classes. Our mission is to help people ‘Live Longer Better’.
The training is free to future volunteers and, once trained, volunteers will lead their own sessions close to their local area. No previous experience is necessary but a background in leading or talking to groups is advantageous. Find out more here.
The next training sessions are being held in Somerton on Wednesday 21st September 2022, Bridgwater on Wednesday 19th October 2022 and Wells on Wednesday 9th November 2022.
As well as potential volunteers, the Flexercise workshops are also open to carers from nursing and residential homes, helpers in day care centres, and, officers or ‘active’ residents from sheltered homes, at a small charge.
For more information contact the Ageing Well Service on 01823 345626 or ageingwell@ageuksomerset.org.uk.
Other Resources:
- Preventing Falls Videos and Checklists from South Western Ambulance Service
- British Geriatrics Society have published some resources to support taking action to overcome the reduction in physical activity and resultant deconditioning effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on older people. You can view them here: Deconditioning information for providers of services for older people and the public | British Geriatrics Society (bgs.org.uk)