Introduction
Falls represent the most frequent and serious type of accident in the over 65 age group causing significant physical and psychological distress for older people and their carers. Facts and statistics show that:
- one in 3 people over 65 have a serious fall every year
- falls can cause loss of confidence which may affect older people's independence and cause social isolation
- falls are the biggest cause of accidental death in the UK
- every 5 hours an older person dies after a fall at home
Evidence states that by introducing appropriate falls prevention services many falls are preventable. Older people should have their risk of falls and fracture assessed and those at risk should be offered multiple interventions aimed at reducing the identified individual and environmental risks.
Falls Working Group
Falls work across Scotland has been ongoing over the past few years, but information suggested that it was patchy. For that reason, it was agreed to set up a working group with a view to issuing helpful advice primarily for Community Health Partnerships.
The Falls Working Group concluded its work and came up with clear recommendations and a framework to enable falls prevention initiatives to be developed and progressed across Scotland. This advice issued as a Health Department letter NHS HDL (2007) 13 on 21 February 2007, which also covered the Delivery Framework for Adult Rehabilitation.
Membership of Group
The group includes representatives from Age Concern Scotland, Help the Aged for Scotland, National Osteoporosis Society, NHS Health Scotland, Agile, local authorities, the NHS and the Scottish Executive.
Minutes of Meetings
Background information on falls and falls work