Accidents at home can be dangerous, particularly for older people, and the consequences of falls can be serious. You can take action now to prevent an accident or fall.
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Avoiding accidents and falls
Preventing falls
If you've attended Accident and Emergency or called an ambulance due to a fall, you may be referred to the Falls Team for an assessment. If your doctor is concerned about you having falls, you may also be referred for assessment and appropriate treatment.
The Falls Team aim to reduce falls and related injuries in people aged 65 and over. They're a multi-disciplinary team providing specialist assessment, treatment and rehabilitation to older people at risk of falls, including:
- Education and advice on falls awareness to older people in the community
- Falls and balance exercise and education classes
- Home based personalised exercise programmes
- Home hazard assessments and intervention including advice and assessment with the aim to increase independence
- Identification of osteoporosis risk and health promotion advice
You can visit the South Tees NHS website to learn more about the Falls Service.
'Steady on Your Feet' self-assessment
Steady on Your Feet offers help and advice, as well as a range of online resources to help reduce the risk of falls.
Because it's online, you can access it from your own home, and you can complete it on your own or with help from your family.
Once you've done the assessment, you'll get an action plan with ideas, exercise suggestions, and helpful advice on how you can reduce your risk of a fall.
Preventing accidents
- For more information, speak to your GP (family doctor) or an occupational therapist.
- The Staying Put Agency can offer advice and practical assistance to avoid slips, trips and falls around the home i.e. by removing trailing cables, installing extra bannister rails, etc.
Occupational Therapy
You can get help from our occupational therapy service if you need equipment like rails or bath seats to make your home safer.
We can visit you at home to identify what equipment could help you to remain safe and reduce the risk of falls.
You can find out more from social services by calling 01642 065070 or emailing adultaccessteam@middlesbrough.gov.uk.
Make sure you can call for help
If you want to make sure you can call for help without having to reach the phone, you can get an alarm pendant from Telecare or the Connect service.
You can wear or carry the pendant and use it to contact the service, day or night. There's a small charge for the service but you may be entitled to help with the cost from social services.
To find out more, you can call 01642 726009 or emailing telecare@middlesbrough.gov.uk.
You can also call social services on 01642 065070 or email adultaccessteam@middlesbrough.gov.uk.