Up and About: Taking positive steps to avoid trips and falls


Preventing trips and falls

Preventing trips and falls

A new booklet called Up and About: Taking positive steps to avoid trips and falls has been produced by NHS Health Scotland, Age Scotland and the National Osteoporosis Society.  It includes information and helpful advice to those most at risk of trips and falls.

Around one in three older people experience a fall at least once a year. Getting out and about helps keep people active and enables them to do the things they enjoy doing and seeing their friends and family. However, falling, or the fear of falling, can often stop people from getting out and about.

Whatever a person’s age, there are simple things they can do to increase their confidence and reduce their risk of trips and falls.

Up and About provides information on  looking after your feet, checking your home for hazards, telling someone if you have fallen, managing your medication, keeping active, looking after your eyes and looking after your hearing.  It also includes practical information around what to do if a person has a fall and where they can go for support and advice.

It has been designed to be useful for older people, their relatives and people who work with older people, for example carers. It will be distributed throughout Scotland and is available from 16th June 2014.


To order a copy of Up and about: Taking positive steps to avoid trips and falls, call Age Scotland on 0845 125 9732 or email NHS Health Scotland on nhs.healthscotland-publications@nhs.net

“Falling can have a dramatic impact on a person’s life,” said Fiona Borrowman, Health Improvement Programme Manager for Dementia, Mental Health and Older People at NHS Health Scotland. “It is very important that we offer help and support to people at risk of a fall or who have experienced a fall to prevent it happening again.  This booklet provides tips on how to avoid having a fall and how to keep well and active.”

Brian Sloan, Chief Executive of Age Scotland, said: “Falls can have a devastating impact which can last well beyond the period which any physical injuries take to heal, leaving people feeling vulnerable and afraid to go out and about. We hope this resource, which has been developed with direct input from older people Age Scotland works with, will help to educate people on how to prevent falls in later life and provide reassurance for those who have had a fall.”

Sarah Leyland, Helpline Manager at the National Osteoporosis Society, welcomed the publication and said,  “keeping active and adopting strategies to prevent falls is so important for older people, who are most at risk of fragility fractures. Combined with good bone health, disabling and painful fractures can be avoided.”

The online version of the booklet is available at:  http://www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/23464-UpAndAbout.pdf

Osteoporosis. An interview with an older patient about her new treatment options, exercise and use of dietary supplements!


Welcome to the latest in our ongoing series of PatientTalk.Org interviews.  Today we are

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

interviewing Elizabeth a 75 year old woman living in London, England who has been lucky enough to get a wide range of treatments which allow her to live a full life with Osteoporosis.  It is also worth mentioning that she suffers from Osteoarthritis.

We hope this interview will give you an idea about some of the options which are becoming more and more available to osteoporosis sufferers.

PatientTalk.Org:- How long have you had osteoporosis and what are your main symptoms?

Elizabeth:  In fact I can’t give a clear answer.  Twenty years ago when I was going through the menopause I was told that I was on the cusp of being diagnosed with osteoporosis.  Ten years later I tripped and broke my wrist.  A second scan revealed that my bone density appeared to be still in the range of normal for my peer group.  However at this stage I was given calcium and vitamin D tablets on a daily basis (which I still take).  Another ten years passed and I tripped once again running up some stairs and fractured the other wrist.  At this time  I was told that there was no point in another scan as two low-impact fractures at my age equalled osteoporosis.  I had been told that walking would help to maintain and strengthen my lower body bone density.  So I try and walk for at least one hour every day.

PatientTalk.Org:  So apart from the calcium and vitamin supplements what other treatments have you been offered?

Elizabeth:  Because I was aware that I’d lost a lot of upper body strength,  for example undoing jars became a real chore,  due to the broken wrists and open heart surgery which took place 25 years ago, I wanted some form of exercise which would improve my situation.  I was told by a friend that she was following a course of Nordic walking and this seemed to be the answer.

I contacted the local health service who were very helpful and invited me to a set of tests and check-ups to ascertain my suitability for a Nordic walking course.

They were happy for me to start the course but beforehand they wanted me to do a course of bone density exercises.  These took place at a course of  eight weekly sessions.  They consisted of a warm up, a series of about 10 different exercises each of 2 minutes, followed by a cooling down session.  They were supervised by exercise specialists who were extremely supportive.

During this course I learned of another 8 week course in Gold Zumba.  That is a type of Zumba more suitable for older people.  I’ve now been on the course for around 4 weeks.  And enjoy it.

PatientTalk.Org:  So what actually is Zumba?

Elizabeth:  I think it can be described as some form of dance which can be used as a fitness programme as well.  We are taught by a qualified instructor who specialises in Zumba as a therapy.  For me the combination of exercise with music means that I’m pushed just a little bit harder than other types of exercise.  This is good for co-ordination of the body and, in fact, my brain.  Zumba is great for balance as well.

PatientTalk.Org:  So have you noticed any improvements?


Elizabeth: This is difficult to say.  In fact it is not my main objective.  I am really looking to maintain my current body strength and flexibility.  I notice that as each session goes on that I’m more flexible and my balance is much better.

And I’m now in a position to start Nordic walking.

PatientTalk.Org: Are you using any other treatments?

Elizabeth:  I have now started a 3 year course of biannual subcutaneous injections for my osteoporosis.  There are other treatments but it was felt that my digestive system was not suitable for them.

PatientTalk.Org: What sort of medical education / advice were you give?

I was invited to a series of talks at either the hospital or local health centres by osteoporosis experts in

a)  General information about osteoporosis

b) Exercise and osteoporosis

c)   Diet and osteoporosis

PatientTalk.Org:What did you learn about diet and osteoporosis?

Elizabeth:  Apart from information about foods and drink which are particularly good for sufferers of osteoporosis which include dairy, lentils, fish and some vegetables,  we were advised that there were certain circumstances in which it was more efficacious to take the supplements.   These were not explained to me by my normal Doctor.    Indeed the supplements documentation contains only limited advice.  The lectures I attended however provided me with far clearer advice.  What concerns me is that many other people with osteoporosis are not getting the full benefits of the supplements they are taking.

PatientTalk.Org:Thanks very much for this.  Very useful for us and our readers.

So over to you.  What do you think of Elizabeth’s story?   It would be great if you could share your thoughts in the comments box below.  You might want to think in terms of the following questions:-

1) How long have you been diagnosed with  Osteoporosis?

2) What sort of treatments have you had and how effective have they been?

3) What sort of support did you receive in terms of education about the condition?

4) Do you feel you have been well advised regarding the use of supplements?

5) What sorts of exercise do you take for your osteoporosis?

Many thanks in advance!

World Osteoporosis Day. Please like and share this page to help us raise awareness of Osteoporosis


Sunday 2oth October 2013 sees World Osteoporosis Day.  The event aims to raise awareness of Osteoporosis.  You may not know it but bone fractures (often caused by Osteoporosis )  are the main reason for women over 45 spending time in hospital.  More days than even diabetes or breast cancer.

Please like and share this page and inparticular the image below

About World Osteoporosis Day
World Osteoporosis Day is observed annually on 20 October, and marks the beginning of a year-
long campaign dedicated to raising global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases.
www.worldosteoporosisday.org www.facebook.com/worldosteoporosisday  #womenofsteel

 

WORLD OSTEOPOROSIS DAY

WORLD OSTEOPOROSIS DAY