I have had a fall or I am scared of having a fall – who can help?

Whiston Hospital provide an Integrated Falls Service that aims to reduce fall injuries in the older population in order to promote independence and reduce acute hospital admissions relating to falls. Risk assessments (either at the clinic, community care settings or within the home) are undertaken and then appropriate interventions are provided – these include falls prevention programmes (e.g. information about diet, exercise and footwear), awareness events and training. The Falls Prevention Team can be contacted on 01744 457 238 for anyone concerned about having a fall or someone who has had a history of having falls.

The Health Improvement Team run a 15 week course called APEX (Accidental Prevention Exercise) if you have had a fall or have a fear of falling. APEX is a 15 week programme of exercise and education to improve your strength, balance, coordination and confidence. You will need approval from your GP before being accepted onto the programme, and the programme consists of community classes, home-based exercises and guest speakers relating to falls prevention. When you complete the course you can then be put forward for on-going community follow-on classes.

St Helens Council run a 24 hour monitoring and response service called Careline, aimed at providing peace of mind for people who feel at risk in their own home – you can call the Contact Centre on 01744 676 600 for further information about the scheme.