Gathering
exercise for Good Practice
Area
of Home Safety: Falls Prevention
Title:
Older Inpatients’ Falls Support and Prevention Education Programme
Lead
Agency: Age Concern Stockport
Partners:
Steering group established consisting of representatives from
Health, Social Services and Health Promotion. Other partners
include the older inpatients on the wards and Stepping Hill
Hospital Staff.
Aim/Purpose:
To raise the awareness of Stockport residents aged 60+
of the causes of falls, to encourage the patients to consider
the risks they may be facing in their present lifestyle and
thereby enable them to make informed choices about addressing
those risks.
Target
Audience: Older inpatients at Stepping Hill Hospital,
Stockport
Description:
The project offers a falls support and prevention education
service to older inpatients at Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport.
A Falls Support worker is employed throughout the project
to visit older people on the wards, then with the support
of the senior ward sister on duty, identify vulnerable patients
who would benefit from this service. The worker then approaches
the patient and offers the falls support service. If possible
group sessions are then held on the wards and practical assistance
is available if required such as the fitting of smoke detectors,
grab rails and carbon monoxide alarms by a handyman recruited
by the scheme.
Messages
relating to the importance of muscle strength, foot care,
exercise, good practice regarding medication, regular health
check ups and precautions to take should a fall occur all
feature in the programme. Patients will also be given information
about local services that are available once they are discharged
from hospital and post-discharge support is offered to the
most vulnerable patients via referrals.
Impact: It is estimated that an average
of 8 patients a day can be seen, totalling 1100 people who
would benefit from this service in a year.
Evaluation:
Those taking part in the programme are asked to complete
a feedback form detailing how helpful they perceived the practical
help to be, the style of delivery of the service and the relevance
of information.
Records
are also kept of inpatients both receiving the service and
not receiving any help. Both these groups will then be tracked
for future attendance at A & E and the nature of their attendance
to help monitor the effectiveness of the project.
Costs/Funding:
£51,835 obtained from the DTI Modernisation
fund.
Contact/More
Information:
Paul Green
Project Manager
Tel: 0161 419 5238
Area
of Home Safety: Falls Prevention
Title:
As Time Goes By - Drama
Lead
Agency: Stockport MBC
Partners:
Age Concern - Stockport, Brookdale Theatre, The Arts Team
- Romiley Forum.
Aim/Purpose:
A play to increase knowledge and trigger discussion among
older people and their carers on how to prevent accidents
in the home. The play also provided information on how to
gain access to local health services and Social Services.
Target
Audience: Older people and their carers living in the
Stockport area.
Description:
The play ‘As Time Goes By’ was launched at Stockport Town
Hall in September 2000. It aimed to show how older people
could prevent falls in the home and raise awareness of Council
and other services, which could help older people cope in
the aftermath of an accident.
The story
of the play centred on Kath, a 77-year-old widow who suffered
a fall and subsequent hip operation. Fearful of losing her
much valued independence she stubbornly refused all offers
of assistance from both health and social services. As the
play develops Kath regains her independence by the acceptance
of help and changes in her lifestyle.
At the
end of the play members of the audience received a ‘goody-bag’
of information about issues and services mentioned in the
production.
The cast
consisted of members of the Brookdale Theatre from Bramhall
who donated their time free of charge. The script was purchased
from the London Borough of Barnet and the play was co-ordinated
by the Public Health Team of Stockport MBC and Age Concern
Stockport.
Impact: Between September 2000 and August
2001, 12 performances took place around the borough. Performances
took place at Over 50s clubs, church halls and at the Brookdale
Theatre in Stockport. The play was also performed at The Institute
for the Blind as a radio play where it was very well received.
Evaluation:
Members of the audience were asked to complete a quick questionnaire
on the day of the performance. Approximately four weeks after
the performance a more detailed interview was carried out
with volunteers from the audience.
Overall
95% of those that took part in the evaluation said that they
had enjoyed the play and 92% reported that the play increased
their awareness of dangers in the home.
Costs/Funding:
Financial assistance for the play was obtained from Stockport
Council’s Arts Team. For further information about costs/
funding please contact the project organiser.
Contact/More
Information:
Joan Lomas
Stockport MBC
Telephone 0161 474 4205.
Area
of Home Safety: Falls Prevention
Title:
Home Safe Home
Lead
Agency: South Bedfordshire District Council
Partners:
Age Concern Bedford, Bedfordshire Accident Prevention Group
- Sub Group for Older People.
Aim/Purpose:
To contribute to the reduction of the number of falls
amongst the over 75’s living within South Bedfordshire.
Target
Audience: Over 75’s living within South Bedfordshire.
Clients must be experiencing one or more of the following
- Postural Hypotension, prescribed Sedatives, Impaired limb
strength or mobility or 4+ prescribed drugs.
Description:
To carry out a free home safety risk assessment for over 75’s
living in the South Bedfordshire district. Following the assessment
clients can be fitted with the following pieces of equipment
if required - energy light bulbs, letterbox basket, 10 year
smoke alarm, carpet gripper, carbon monoxide detector, electric
plug handles, handi socket extension, stair rails, helping
hand, non-slip bath mats and bags for walking frames. Items
of equipment are fitted and supplied free of charge to all
clients via the Age Concern Handyperson Scheme.
Clients
are referred to the scheme through a variety of health professionals
and community workers within the South Bedfordshire area.
Impact:
250 homes visited by August 2002.
Evaluation:
Evaluation of the scheme to take place by October 2002, for
more details please contact the project organiser.
Costs/Funding:
The overall project cost was £50,126. Funding was obtained
from the DTI Modernisation fund 2001/2002.
Contact/More
Information:
Michelle Compton
Telephone: 01582 474046
Email: michelle.compton@southbeds.gov.uk
| Using
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Area
of Home Safety: Falls Prevention
Title:
Falls Prevention for Older People through Differentiated Physical
Activity Provision
Lead
Agency: Wiltshire Health Promotion Service
Partners:
Wiltshire Physical Activity Group, District Councils in Wiltshire,
Wiltshire Leisure Centres, Wiltshire Housing Associations,
Wiltshire and Swindon NHS Trust.
Aim/Purpose:
To provide differentiated, community based physical activity
and falls prevention opportunities for older people who have
fallen or who are at risk of falling.
Target
Audience: Older people living in the Wiltshire area who
have fallen or who are at risk of falling
Description:
The project delivers physical activity classes specifically
designed to reduce the risk of falling. Fully trained health
and leisure professionals deliver classes. Key elements of
the programme are exercises aimed at muscle strengthening,
balance and co-ordination, bone loading, increasing flexibility
and stamina. Participants receive 45-60 minutes of group instruction
during each session and there are approximately 14 people
per class.
Following
classes, participants are given a staged and progressive home
exercise pack, which is given to enable participants to carry
on exercises at home. There are also opportunities for participants
to take part in other physical activities such as local health
walks.
Impact: 200 people.
Evaluation:
Participants are initially evaluated by two functional tests
during the exercise session to assess physical ability. They
also complete a questionnaire at the end of the session. The
scheme has also set up focus groups in which participants
are invited to give their views about the exercise classes.
Costs/Funding:
£45,000 obtained from DTI Modernisation
Fund.
Contact/More
Information:
Clive Gray
Wiltshire Health Promotion Service
Telephone 01249 454270
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Area
of Home Safety: Falls
Prevention
Title: ’80
Not Out’ Drama Production (Video and script)
Lead Agency:
Solihull Primary Care Trust.
Partners:
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Retired Health Visitors,
Older volunteers from local amateur dramatic groups.
Aim/Purpose:
The drama highlights with both tact and humour some of
the common dangers in the home with practical steps to avoid
them. Areas included are:
- Bogus
callers/intruders
-
Falls - how to get up from a fall
- Home
maintenance
- Medication
- Keeping
safe and independent
Target
Audience: Older people and their
carers.
Description:
Solihull Primary Care Trust has taken a new approach to raising
awareness of accident prevention amongst older people through
the use of drama. ’80 Not Out’ is a short play written by
Carolyn Lindsay, Specialist Health Visitor Accident Prevention
from Solihull Primary Care Trust and Margaret Fulford a retired
Health Visitor. The play involves actors from local Amateur
Dramatic groups who volunteered to take part.
The play uses a light-hearted storyline to highlight key safety
messages as well as giving information about accident and
crime prevention. The
play has been touring older persons groups across the Solihull
Borough from 1999 - 2001. Additional funding received in August
2001 enabled a video of the play to be produced. The video
will be available for older persons groups and staff working
with older people in Solihull to hire. The script and video
are available for people outside the Borough of Solihull to
purchase (see below).
Impact: The play
has been performed for nearly 900 older people
in Solihull.
Evaluation:
The play has been very well received by all of the audiences.
Some of the comments from members of the NHS retirement fellowship
included “There should be more plays like yours on TV to make
people more aware, congratulations”. That awful mat, those
dangerous slippers. I will clear many things out now!”
Costs/Funding:
Shirley Round Table gave £200 to support the printing of the
scripts for the cast and pay expenses for the volunteer cast.
Many of the props for the play were provided free of charge
by local shops.
Cost of Video Production - £1000 (Donated by Solihull MBC
from older volunteer grant).
Contact/More
Information:
The script is available to purchase for £10
including postage. A video of the play is now available
to purchase for £20 including postage and packing.
Carolyn Lindsay
Specialist Health Visitor Accident Prevention
Solihull Primary Care Trust
Union Road
Solihull
Telephone - 0121 712 8376
Email - carolyn.lindsay@solihull-pct.nhs.uk
Area
of Home Safety: Falls
Title:
Joint Strategy for the Prevention of Falls in Older People.
Lead
Agency: North Derbyshire Health Authority
Partners:
Health Promotion, Local Authorities, PCTs, PCG, community
pharmacists, leisure centres, Chinese College, voluntary and
community groups.
Aim/Purpose:
The development and implementation of community based programmes
designed to prevent falls occurring. The development and implementation
of a multi agency approach to the assessment, treatment and
rehabilitation of all at risk individuals in order to prevent
further falls.
Target
Audience: All people over the age of 50. This includes
the fit elderly (over 75's) and very elderly (over 80's).
People who have fallen.
All age groups 50+
Women who have an early menopause (under 45) - links to the
Osteoporosis Strategy.
People with steroid induced osteoporosis - links to the Osteoporosis
Strategy.
People with low fragility fracture - links to the Osteoporosis
Strategy.
People in residential/nursing homes.
People prescribed four or more medications.
People who have visual impairment.
Description:
The strategy will build on current provision across all agencies.
The focus will initially be secondary prevention and aimed
at the over 75's age group. The strategy will involve:
- the
development and implementation of a programme of training
awareness for all relevant staff;
- the
development and implementation of a standard risk assessment
tool;
- the
provision of physical activity programmes for the less active
and frail older persons (e.g., Tai chi and chair-based exercise);
- the
provision of information, and accessible and affordable
evidence-based physical activity opportunities available
in North Derbyshire.
Impact: As the programme is in its infancy,
no data is available on the potential impact as yet.
Evaluation:
Evaluation will be carried out mainly through the Health Improvement
Programme and will be reported to the Director of Public Health.
Costs/Funding:
Funding of the programme will come from a variety of sources,
for example the Health Promotion service.
Contact/More
Information: Sandra Johnson, North Derbyshire Health Authority.
Tel: 01246 231255,
E-mail: sandra.johnson@derby-ha.trent.nhs.uk
