Preventing falls

This guide helps you, family members and carers to understand why you might fall and provides advice on how to maintain strength and balance.

You can find information about:

Why you might fall

As you get older, the natural ageing process makes you react more slowly to changes in body position. This means that you are slower to correct your balance. 

Everyday activities such as walking, bending down, or getting in and out of chairs, beds and baths can become more difficult. 

Controlling your balance is important to how you move and manage independently. 

Your balance might be affected by:

  • low blood pressure as you stand up
  • medications 
  • losing strength and flexibility in muscles and joints 
  • vision impairment 
  • inner ear infections
  • poor posture
  • alcohol
  • your brain being unable to process information to keep you balanced
  • conditions or injuries that affect the nervous system, such as a stroke or Parkinson’s disease

Preventing falls

There are different ways to improve your balance and prevent falls.

Talk to your GP

The GP is a great starting point if you have fallen over or are feeling weaker or dizzy.

They can:

  • review the medication you take
  • investigate any symptoms
  • give advice about preventing falls

Keep active

Having an active lifestyle can improve your muscle strength. 

Exercises such as strength and balance training at home or in a local group will help you stay safe and steady, reducing the risk of a fall. 

Doing these exercises for 17 minutes a day can reduce your risk of a fall by up to 43%. You can try them with a friend or family member to gain confidence.

Other activities such as moving around daily can also help with your balance and flexibility to prevent falling. 

Join your local Thai Chi, yoga, walking group, or any other exercise group and use a walking aid if necessary.

Staying safe at home

Changing your home and garden environment could help to make daily life easier and reduce any hazards that could cause trips.

Make sure you have bright lighting and check the stability of your chair, bed, and toilet.

A community alarm that lets you call for help if you do fall by pressing a button can also be considered. 

Eye tests and hearing checks

Regular eye tests and hearing checks can find conditions that might put you more at risk of falling. 

Be sure to wear your glasses and hearing aids when up and about.

Nutrition

Having a healthy, well-balanced diet is more important as you get older. Good nutritional foods can help to improve your bone and muscle strength and prevent falls. 

It is important to stay properly hydrated and drink plenty of water.

Foot health

Make sure your footwear fits properly. They should cover your heel and have good grip on the sole. 

Overcoming your fear of falling

It is natural to be worried about more falls if you have experienced one. However, this might stop you doing your usual activities resulting in a loss of body strength and stamina which could lead to another fall. 

It is important to stay active and not be anxious of falling. 

If you have had a fall, nearly fallen or are worried about falling you can contact the Strength and Balance Helpline.

Useful Local Contacts in Lambeth

Lambeth Falls Service

If you’ve had a fall or worried about having one you can contact the Strength and Balance Helpline.

They are open Monday to Friday: 8.30am to 4.30pm and can arrange anyspecialist assessment or treatment needed.

Family or friends can ring on your behalf. You can leave a message and the team will call you back.

Connect Lambeth

Connect Lambeth is a group of charities working together to help vulnerable people. They are able to offer advice and support to those that need it in Lambeth.

Visit connect Lambeth or call on 0333 360 3700 from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm to speak to the team.

Lambeth Council Adult Social Care

Get information about living independently, how to get support from the Council and more. Call 020 7926 5555 with option 1 for new service users and option 2 for existing service users.

Age UK Lambeth Neighbourhood Workers

Visit Age UK website for exercise advice for over 60s includingstaying active and strength and balance exercises.