The Great Big Slipper Exchange in Newry

The Southern Trust in partnership with Newry and Mourne Senior Citizens Consortium hosted a Slipper Exchange and Information Event to promote Falls Prevention messages at the Canal Court Hotel recently.

The event was funded by the Public Health Agency and supported by the Integrated Care Partnership.

It attracted around 90 older people – many of whom had first-hand experience of a fall or who were concerned about falling.

The new Ten Year Home Accident Prevention Strategy for Northern Ireland has shown that falls account for 71% of all fatal accidents to those aged 65 and over, and the risk of falling increases with age.

The event was opened by Nina Daly, Accident Prevention Officer with the Southern Trust, who emphasised the importance of seeking help as soon as possible.

Nina said, “The impact of a fall on an older person tends to be significant, it’ll take longer for them to recover and heal, and the injuries they sustain impact upon their bodies severely – this is why it’s so important to take preventative measures at home to reduce your risk of falling.”

Speakers discussed the impact medication can have on falls and the importance of having a medication use review via their GP or community pharmacist. They also discussed the importance of looking after your eye health and vision, and the impact that alcohol can have.

A number of agencies provided information stands offering additional information. Everyone who attended was invited to take part in a gentle physical activity taster session.

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Posted by Newry Times News on Feb 23 2016. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry