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Local and national support

Wooden blocks which spell out the word support

There’s a wide range of falls prevention support available, both locally and nationally, which can help you feel more confident in and out of the home.

Local support

Action for Elders provide a range of different programmes in Herefordshire, and throughout the UK, to help older people's physical, mental and social wellbeing.  The Balanced Lives programme can help improve strength, balance and mobility, which is invaluable for the prevention of falls.

Falls Care Navigator Service is a dedicated service supporting frequent fallers, which a view to them engaging with local services and community groups, to help reduce the risk and severity of further falls.  To contact the service, please call 01432 384127 or e-mail FallsCareNavigators@connexus-group.co.uk.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service offer a free Safe and Well Check for people who are older, live alone or have reduced mobility.  This can help reduce the risk of fire in the home and includes checking and fitting smoke alarms and offering advice on a fire escape plan, falls prevention and winter warmth.

Herefordshire Council provide a range of different services, which can help you live independently at home for longer, including:

  • Assistive technology devices such as falls sensors, lifeline alarms, pill dispensers and one to one pagers.

  • Herefordshire Handyperson Scheme can help with small adaptations in and around the home, such as ramps and handrails.

  • Home First can help adults, who are eligible for social care support, with short periods of rehabilitation to help you gain new skills to manage at home or get back on your feet, especially if you’ve experienced a fall in the home.

  • The Occupational Therapy Team provide independent advice and guidance on equipment provision, along with assessments of your individual needs. The council can also provide some equipment free of charge, if you meet the national eligibility criteria.  To contact the team, call 01432 260101 or e-mail ASCAdviceandReferralTeam@herefordshire.gov.uk.  


Safe+Well can help you better understand which daily living aids might be best for you and where they can be purchased.  They also offer a free Safe+Well telephone advice line, run by qualified Occupational Therapists.

Talk Community Directory provide information on over 1,000 local services, groups, activities and events across Herefordshire, which can help people to be more active, get out and about, meet new people and develop new interests. 

Wye Valley NHS Trust provide a free Community Falls Prevention Service for older people who have fallen, are at risk of falls or are worried about falling.  You can access the service yourself by completing a self-referral form or ask any health professional to make a referral on your behalf.

National support

Age UK provide lots of useful information and advice around falls, including top tips for a more comfortable home and a Staying Steady booklet.

The NHS offer information on falls and advice on how to prevent them from happening.

Saga provide information on a wide range of issues, including falls prevention through its Guide to Staying Steady.

Apps

Keep On Keep Up is an app which helps older people optimise healthy ageing and improve strength and balance, to help prevent falls.  It’s free to download from the Apple App Store.

React to Falls is designed to help reduce the number of times residents in care homes fall over, however it can also be used by anyone wanting to prevent a loved one from having a fall.  It provides practical tips in bite size pieces of information, which have been shown to reduce falls and the effects of falling over.  It’s free to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Safesteps offer a paid for falls prevention app, which is specifically designed to reduce the number of falls in care homes.

StopFalls provide resources and guidance on interventions to prevent falls for those who are vulnerable, through assessments, post-fall techniques and exercise videos.  The app is free to download from the Google Play Store.


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