Community Falls Assessment Days for Steady and Strong balance classes
People who have a fear of falling and are unsteady on their feet can take advantage of a new exercise class designed to improve their balance.
The Steady and Strong classes are aimed at those who suffer from poor balance, dizziness or Osteoporosis and would like to find out more about preventing possible future falls.
Residents will be able to join the class by first completing a Falls Assessment at the Taro Leisure Centre, arranged by East Hampshire District Council and other partners. The free assessments take place on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 March and on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 March at the Taro Leisure Centre, in Petersfield.
Each assessment takes about 45 minutes with Karen Miller, Physiotherapy Team Leader at Petersfield Community and Paula Haidon, Falls Prevention Specialist Exercise Instructor. They will recommend people who would benefit from the classes.
The Steady and Strong classes, which are planned for May, aim to offer local older people a fun and enjoyable exercise class that, when completed regularly, will help improve mobility, balance, flexibility and confidence. This should help reduce the fear of falling and the likelihood of a fall. Participants will also learn easy ways to help them get up from the floor safely should they fall.
These classes will complement the existing organised exercise opportunities for older people, such as Mature Movers and Chairobics, and will enable people with specific medical concerns to get active and become more mobile and independent.
Patients accessing the existing Falls Clinic at Petersfield Community Hospital may also be referred to the Steady and Strong class to reduce the risk of future falls.
Falls are a serious and growing problem affecting 1 in 3 adults over the age of 65 and costing the NHS approximately £1.7b per year. Hip fractures are the most common cause of injury following a fall and affect 60,000 fallers per year.
Evidence shows that specific exercise programmes to improve strength and balance can reduce the risk of falls by up to 55 per cent and also reduce the severity of injury following a fall.
Steady and Strong is a partnership project between EHDC, Hampshire Community Health Care (Petersfield Community Hospital), DC Leisure, Sport Hampshire Isle of Wight (SHIOW) and Paula Haidon, a local Falls Prevention Specialist Exercise Instructor.
For more information and to book an appointment for a Falls Assessment please contact Paula Haidon on 01428 723324, or Liz Murray, EHDC Active Lifestyle Co-ordinator, 01730 234067
Added on: 10/03/11. Views: 759
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