Moray Councillor makes call for greater falls awareness
Moray Council’s Older People’s Champion is supporting a national safety campaign aiming to reduce the number of falls older people have.
Councillor Sonya Warren is encouraging residents to become ‘Fall Fighters’ in an effort to raise awareness of how falls can be prevented and help older adults live as independently as possible, without the fear of falling.
Falls are the single biggest cause of accidental injuries in the home, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). While they can affect people of all ages, they’re most common, and tend to be more serious, for people in later life.
More than 13,000 people over the age of 65 are admitted to hospital in Scotland every year due to a fall. As well as an increased risk of serious injury or death, having a fall also brings an increased risk of disability, loss of confidence and impacts quality of life.
The Older People’s Champion is calling on anyone who comes into contact with older people in their day-to-day role to improve their knowledge and understanding of falls and their impact by completing the RoSPA Fall Fighter awareness session.
The free online session will equip people with knowledge of the key causes of falls, and the skills and confidence to prevent falls as well as how to respond if someone experiences a fall. It can be completed on any computer, tablet or mobile phone. Learn more on the RoSPA website.
Cllr Warren said: “Falls amongst older people can have a devastating impact but they’re not an inevitable part of ageing. Maintaining an active lifestyle and doing regular strength and balance exercises can help to prevent falls. It’s important to discuss any falls or problems with balance with a GP.”