Prevention of falls in older people: the Weymouth and Portland project

Abstract

Falls are a major cause of disability and mortality in the over-75s: 400,000 people each year attend accident and emergency (A&E) departments in England as a result of accidents, with 14,000 dying annually due to an osteoporotic fracture (DoH 2001). Problems associated with falling include loss of mobility, psychological difficulties, increase in dependency and/or disability, hypothermia, pressure-related injury and infection. The catastrophic consequences of a fall cannot be underestimated. South West Dorset PCT (formerly Dorset Community Trust) was allocated £3,000 up to March 2000 with a further £6,000 per year for the subsequent two years to 2002/03 to promote a prevention of falls programme. Health and social services personnel agreed the specification for a new post to increase local support networks and, in line with national guidelines for managing falls among older people (Simpson et al 1998a), the local Dorset guidelines (Dorset Healthcare Guidelines 2000) and Promoting Independence (DoH 1998), additional funding was secured to run chair-based exercise training for up to 32 people.