Health & Comfort is dedicated to providing all sorts of information, from useful products to nutritional advice. We noticed as we started getting a little older, that we really appreciated those things that made life easier or more comfortable!

Fall Prevention is a big issue in all senses: between a third and half of people over 65 suffer a fall in any given year, and although many are minor, about a quarter result in physical injury that requires medical attention, including broken bones, most commonly hip fractures. The NHS spends some £1.7 billion on treating hip fractures alone. Slips and trips are the most common sort of accident in the home; and risk of falling is one one the major factors in assessing a person's ability to continue living independently in their own home.

Not surprisingly, Fall Prevention is at the heart of the National Service Framework for Older People, but there is considerable debate about how well it is working. Quite a lot of emphasis is placed on diagnosing and treating osteoporosis, for example, yet 80% of falls occur amongst people who don't have the condition. Various studies have shown that exercise to improve strength and balance can have a significant effect in reducing the likelihood of falling, and this is something that almost any member of the older population can benefit from: but what steps are taken to ensure that facilities are available? At one time, evening classes included a range of physical activities at modest cost, but timetables are now dominated by courses leading to qualifications, and fitness classes have often been sidelined. Even for individuals who have had a fall (and are therefore at statistically high risk of having another), the resources of the Falls Prevention Services do not seem to be routinely available, whether through lack of awareness amongst professionals who could/should be referring them, or for some other reason is hard to say.

Reasons for falls are many, so there is not a simple, one-size-fits-all solution. But given the number that occur in the home, making this environment safer should surely be a priority. Perhaps this is a good time to highlight the work of Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs), which are also often known as "Care and Repair" or "Staying Put". They carry out major and minor adaptations to make individual homes safer for disabled, elderly or otherwise vulnerable individuals. A Home Improvement Agency can arrange to visit a client's home to give advice about what work may be needed. They can also help with accessing financial assistance or other support services that may be available. HIAs are run as not-for-profit organisations, and give free advice, including a home visit. Also useful is the list of approved local contractors they hold: these traders are carefully vetted and their work regularly monitored, to ensure standards are maintained.

You can read more about the work of HIAs and how they can help maintain safe independent living on the Foundations website:

http://www.foundations.uk.com/