Greater Manchester Falls Prevention: Delivering Integration and Reconditioning Event
On Friday 21st January 2022 Greater Manchester partners together presented their collective falls prevention priorities. The well attended event launched a Greater Manchester Falls Collaborative and a comprehensive report that focuses on the prevention of falls and enablement of reconditioning for Greater Manchester residents affected by the pandemic.
It builds on earlier work undertaken in partnership with ARC-GM, The University of Manchester’s Healthy Ageing Research Group and GreaterSport supporting GM Moving, which was focussed on improving strength and balance from mid through to later life.
- You can read the report in full here
- You can watch a recording of the launch event here
- The slides from the webinar can be viewed here
Speaking at the event, Hayley Lever CEO GreaterSport and Executive Lead for GM Moving said:
“Movement and activity is so important to us all in older age; for our physical and mental health and wellbeing. The impact of the pandemic on older adults will be felt for some time to come, so we need to come together to design movement back into our lives, to support collective recovery, reduce isolation, improve strength and balance and support reconditioning and falls prevention."
Professor Chris Todd ARC-GM Healthy Ageing Theme Lead and Professor of Primary Care & Community Health, University of Manchester said:
“We know from the evidence that falls are not inevitable and can be prevented. Evidence based strength and balance interventions are extremely effective in reducing a person’s risk of falls. However, it’s vital that the right programme is delivered at the right time to the right person and very importantly by trained health, care and fitness professionals such as physiotherapists and specialist exercise instructors. As a result of the pandemic and the reduction in activity, in particular strength and balance activities over the last two years, it is vital that we now address the deconditioning that has resulted through rolling out and scaling up the evidence-based programmes we know are effective. We should also encourage those in mid-life and later life to integrate strength and balance activity regularly as part of their return to movement”.
Warren Heppolette Executive Lead, Strategy & System Development, Greater Manchester Health & Social Care Partnership said:
“The evidence we have of what helps prevent falls, alongside the knowledge of how much harm can occur when people do fall makes action essential. We have the chance to connect communities, local activities and support, and our clinical and academic expertise to spread the good practice which exists in some parts of GM and make sure it happens everywhere”.
Partners are planning the first GM Falls Collaborative Event on community-based strength and balance provision in March. This will be aimed at commissioners, service deliverers, the fitness and leisure industry and practitioners. The date of the event is to be confirmed, keep your eye on GM Moving's Twitter account for the event announcement.
For further details, please contact Healthy Ageing Theme Research Associate, Jason Bergen.
Published 01/02/2022