Nicola Humberstone and Husna Begum of Tower Hamlets GP Care Group recently visited a Geezers meeting.
They are looking at the incidence of falls and the ways people have been dealing with them. Nicola and Husna asked the Geezers if any had suffered falls. Some had, or their partners had, and reported how they’d been treated by the NHS and how they’d got on. Nicola and Husna were researching what people do to find support, what they discover is available, how referrals work and so on.
Their investigations include looking at existing prevention strategies, interventions and the delivery of education programmes for those at risk of falling.
Once their research is complete Nicola and Husna will then recommend ways to improve uptake of and engagement with falls prevention services and self-help strategies to promote independence and wellbeing.
As we get older “trips” which we instantly recovered from, become “falls” which can lead to serious consequences.
A local dedicated Falls Prevention Team has been integrated with other healthcare with the aim of keeping people out of hospital and enabling them to maintain their independence, health and wellbeing. Here’s their webpage of advice for preventing falls at home. There is also a falls pick up service where a senior nurse will attend – dial 111.