Falls Prevention and reduction
Falls are the second leading cause of accidental deaths worldwide. Fall-related injuries are more common among ageing persons and are a major cause of pain, disability, loss of independence and hospitalization.
Approximately 37.3 million falls requiring medical attention occur worldwide annually. Each year an estimated 424,000 of these individuals die as a result of their injuries.
If an older person falls and breaks their hip it will have a serious impact on his or her life and it will take a large investment of time and financial resources to restore that person’s functional capacity. Falls in older age also have serious repercussions on the lives of family and friends.
Step Forward OT Rehab provides a falls prevention program conducted within the home and around the community.
This program can enable an older client with a history of falls to maintain their independence, to reduce and to avoid further falls. It can also help any ageing person who wishes to reduce the risks of falls.
Many falls are easily preventable with a few modifications in the environment and in the way ageing people perform their activities.
The programme consists of:
- Full initial assessment of the person’s functionality while performing daily activities;
- Screening living environments for potential risks of falls;
- Home assessment and provision of recommendations on environmental modification for those with risk factors or a history of falling;
- Prescription of appropriate assistive devices or environmental adaptations to address physical and sensory impairments;
- Improvement of physical condition by focusing on activities that the client enjoys (e.g. gardening, walking, washing the car). We will help our clients to remain active performing activities to increase strength, endurance and balance.