As we get older, we become more at risk of falling. In fact, according to Age UK, 1/3 of over 65s have had a fall in the last year and 1/2 of people of 80. There are lots of reasons why someone may be at risk of falling, and you can find more information here.
Fortunately, there are plenty of things that can be done to reduce the risk of falling; these include:
- Keeping active, including activity that challenges your balance; more ideas can be found here
- Having regular hearing and vision checks
- Checking your medication with your pharmacist
This article will focus on how an Occupational Therapist can help to reduce your risk of falling.
Occupational Therapists are qualified healthcare professionals who review how someone undertakes day to day activities, and offers support to make these activities and safe and easy as possible. There are lots of ways to do this but it may include:
- Review walking aids, such as walking sticks
- Supporting with equipment round the house, such as seats in the shower or rails to help accessing the house
- Helping to pace and prioritise activities to conserve energy
- Breaking down activities, or changing how they are done, to make sure they are as safe as possible
If you’d like to find out more about how Occupational Therapy can help you, get in touch today for a no obligation chat about your needs.
