Ten top tips to keep you safe from falls

This week is Falls Awareness week, but teams in Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership support and promote work to support Fifers all year round.

Lynne Garvey, Head of Community Care Services at the Partnership explained: “Many of us may assume falls will only affect older people. But if you have certain long term health conditions or have increased frailty you can be at heightened risk at any age.

“Sometimes people feel embarrassed and continue on after a fall, but as you get older or are increasingly frail, falling can be really upsetting and life changing.

“We wanted to use the awareness week as an opportunity to tell people about the simple things they can do to reduce their risk and how family members or carers can support people too.”

What can cause trips or falls and what can I do to prevent them?

There are a range of simple things you can do – here are our top ten tips

• Reduce the build-up of clutter, and make sure items like small tables, pet bowls or trailing cables or wires don’t pose a trip hazard – especially on the stairs.
• Make sure you can move around your home easily and safely by arranging furniture to give you the space you need – for example pushing a table against a wall or removing casters from things like chairs, beds or tables will stop them moving and help them become more stable.
• Don’t leave or store things on the stairs.
• Remove or secure loose mats or rugs to help you avoid tripping on them accidentally.
• Keep your home well lit, especially the stairs so you can see where you are going clearly.
• Put a non-slip mat in and beside your bath or shower and be careful on slippery surfaces like laminate or tiled floor.
• Make sure your washing line isn’t too high so you don’t have to stretch to reach it. Move garden furniture aware from your door and make sure the garden is well lit.
• Use railings – they can provide support and stability throughout the home – especially when you’re going up and down the stairs or in your bathroom to give you extra support.
• Look after your feet and make sure your shoes fit well and have a strong sturdy sole. Replace your slippers regularly as they can become loose over time and make sure they have a strap, laces or backs and aren’t too high.
• Stay active –certain types of exercise carried out on your feet can improve strength, stamina, balance and flexibility – information on this is found here.

For a full range of information go to Preventing falls | NHS inform

What do I do if I’ve had a fall?

If you fall try to stay calm. Take time to assess if you’re in pain, are hurt or need help.

Take a few minutes to check your body for any pain or injuries, then:

• if you’re not hurt, try to get up from the floor – watch the videos on NHS Inform for how to do  that safely.
• if you’re hurt or unable to get off the floor, call for help and keep warm and moving as best you can while you wait.

To call for help:

• use a community alarm, if you have one
• if you’re injured call 111 for NHS 24 or in an emergency phone 999
• use a phone to call a relative, friend or neighbour
• ask your smart speaker, if you have one, to call someone who can help you
• try shouting, or banging on a wall, to try to attract your neighbour’s attention.