There are lots of resources that health care professionals can use to help support people to stay stronger for longer.
A toolkit is attached to this page.
Ask, Assess, Act
Find out more about the Ask, Assess, Act procedures. There are also a number of services available in Derbyshire to help protect people from falling, or reduce the chance of falling.
The facts
Falls are one of the largest causes of emergency hospital admissions for older people.
Between 2016 and 2017 there were 945 per 100,000 population in Derbyshire for emergency admission due to a fall.
What to remember
Ask: about ageing well
Assess: risk of falling
Act: to reduce risk
Ask older people about how they are feeling, talk about ageing well and discuss how they can be supported to improve their health in order to reduce falls and stay independent.
Our Live Life Better Derbyshire service is a free, healthy lifestyles service that offers help on stopping smoking, losing weight and getting active.
Assess the older person's risk of falling by asking them (or their family and carers) whether they:
- have had 2 or more falls in the last 12 months
- had a single fall and needed medical attention in the last 12 months
- are anxious or worried about falling and has one or more of the following risk factors:
- appears unsteady
- finds it difficult to get out of a chair
- takes 4 or more prescription medicines
Encourage the individual to join a Strictly No Falling course. You can find out more by contacting Age UK tel: 01773 766922.
Act on any immediate risk such as clutter, loose rugs or poorly fitting footwear and advise the older person to contact their GP to discuss their risk of falling.
A reducing falls guide is attached to this page.
Support at home following a fall
People who receive telecare or a community alarm service from one of the following organisations are eligible to receive the 24 hour a day falls recovery service:
- Bolsover District Council
- Chesterfield Borough Council
- Derbyshire County Council – for services in Erewash, Derbyshire Dales and North East Derbyshire
- Futures Homescape – for services in Amber Valley
- High Peak Borough Council
- South Derbyshire District Council
If a person falls and presses their community alarm pendant or wristband and speaks to the monitoring centre, and they are identified as having a minor fall but need assistance to get back on their feet, a response team rather than ambulance can be arranged.
The falls recovery service will visit an individual's home and use specialist equipment to safely support a person from the floor back into a chair or bed.