Health and social care coordinate the Derbyshire falls prevention pathway. As people age their risk of falling increases and so a pathway of services and care has been developed to try to ensure that the population of Derby and Derbyshire have good bone health and are prevented from falling. Where people do fall the pathway is also there to ensure they are back on their feet as soon as possible and provided with services which will reduce their chance of falling and injuring themselves again.
The whole pathway brings together all the agencies which provide the services needed and it is based upon the Department of Health approach to falls and fracture prevention. (DoH 2009)
There are plenty of things we can do to help us stay steady and confident on our feet. The younger we are when we start to take advantage of these activities the better, but it is never too late either.
NHS Derbyshire County has a resource library which contains information for everyone about good bone health and preventing falls. Whether you are fit and active, have difficulty getting around or are worried about falling it has information to help.
Eating well, staying hydrated and keeping fit are especially important for us to reduce our risk of falling at a later age. In particular it is known that exercises which aim to increase our balance and strength are one of the best things we can do to help ourselves.
Exercises which work on our balance and strength are known to be beneficial to us all, irrespective of our age or whether we have already fallen. A database of classes and groups across Derbyshire has been developed to support the Derby and Derbyshire pathway. Groups and sessions on the database have been assessed to see if they offer suitable balance and strength exercises within them. The sessions are provided in lots of different locations and by many different tutors. Hopefully there is something to suit everyone. In parts of the county where there are fewer sessions we are working to support instructors to train and run new groups and so please keep looking at the database as groups and sessions will be added over time.
All groups on the database will have access to support from NHS commissioned staff to make sure they continue to deliver good quality balance and strength exercises. They will each be offering one of three different exercise types known to improve balance and strength;
Click on the link below to find your nearest course
a) Chair based exercise
A seated exercise programme which can help to reduce falls in frailer older people by improving strength and balance. Chair based exercise may suit people who use a mobility aid
b) Otago
A specific exercise programme which includes the use of ankle weights to increase strength and balance, which can also be continued at home. This will suit the more active older person as there is more standing exercise than seated in the Otago Exercise Programme
c) Tai chi
You can use the database to look for which of these falls prevention exercise groups is available in the area where you live. We recommend that you contact the instructor before you attend the first session to make sure the group has spaces available at that time.
If you would like to know more about any of these sessions then please contact our falls prevention activity advisors who will be able to help;
For High Peak, Derbyshire Dales, Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire
Diane Ball 01246 868400 ext474 diane.ball@dchs.nhs.uk
For Erewash, Amber Valley and South Derbyshire
Sylvia Taylor 0115 9732013
PLEASE NOTE: these sessions are delivered by a wide variety of people, in a range of venues. Whilst they have been assessed as delivering sessions which incorporate balance and strength exercises, NHS Derby City and Derbyshire County are not responsible for the individual sessions and do not employ the instructors. For this reason it is recommended that you satisfy yourself prior to commencing exercising that you are fit and able to exercise, the instructor has current personal liability insurance and is aware of and able to provide any individual support which you may require.
