- Falls Secondary Prevention:
Falls assessments are usually completed in your own home, including residential or nursing home. Assessments may also be completed in a clinic setting, if appropriate. We receive referrals from various health or social care professionals as well as other agencies eg, ambulance and fire services. On receiving the referral, the therapist will contact you to make an initial appointment.
The Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist will complete a full multifactorial assessment to assess and advise you on the risk factors that can contribute to a fall. This will also include a check of your home environment to identify any hazards that may increase your risk of falls.
Following this assessment, an appropriate falls prevention plan will be agreed with you. This may include arranging for you to attend a falls exercise class e.g. run by Life Leisure (who we work closely with.) Attending a falls exercise group is one of the best ways to improve your strength and balance, in order to prevent further falls. If this is not suitable for you the Physiotherapist can plan a home exercise programme. One of our support workers will then visit you to help you practise the strength and balance exercises at home.
We may also provide advice on other ways to reduce your risk of falls as well as how to cope in the case of a fall. We may provide you with essential daily living equipment or a suitable walking aid, or we may refer you onto other services that can also help you.
We are keen to reach people in all sorts of community settings or in their own home following a referral (eg from Fire Service, care call service) to advise on ways to prevent a fall in the first place or to help you reduce your fear of falling.
Our support workers can deliver falls prevention information sessions to local community groups, luncheon clubs, church groups etc. If you would like to arrange for us to come and visit your group please contact us on 0161 835 6701 and ask to speak to our administrator or one of our falls support workers.
Bone health assessments are a way of assessing how strong and healthy your bones
are and whether you may have, or be at risk of developing, osteoporosis. These are
completed in a clinic setting by our Fracture Liaison Nurses. We target people who
have attended the hospital’s Emergency Department following a ‘fragility’ fracture.
(That means a fracture following a fall from standing height or less) We can also
advise you if you are having difficulty tolerating bone health medication or
need further advice on managing your osteoporosis.
The Fracture Liaison Nurse will contact you by letter and invite you to have a
telephone consultation or alternatively to complete a bone health questionnaire and
return it by post. This information will then be carefully analysed to decide
whether you need to have a ‘DEXA’ scan.
Following the scan you may be offered a bone health assessment at one of our local
Clinics or given practical advice on ways to manage your bone health.
The Fracture Liaison Nurses liaise closely with 2 hospital consultants; a Consultant
Geriatrician and a Rheumatologist to discuss your care and treatment, if
necessary, to ensure you are advised on the most suitable treatment for you.
They will advise you and your GP on the most appropriate treatment and will follow
you up over the next 12 months.
- Bone Health Education and support:
We work closely with the Royal Osteoporosis Society and a team of volunteers to deliver peer support groups at regular intervals throughout the year and bone health education sessions a couple of times a year. For more information please contact the Royal Osteoporosis Society on: 07712 524 880
Alternatively contact our Steady in Stockport Service on 0161 835 6701.
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