FALLS
Contact StayActive4Life
via email at
[email protected]
or call 020 8574 7785.
have helped
me recover quicker.
More people should join to increase
their strength and save themselves from
becoming frail and hurting themselves.
It is also a great opportunity to meet and
socialise with people on a regular basis.”
Vera O’Higgins, 75, said: “Since joining
the class I have been able to carry out
day-to-day tasks with more confidence.
The strength in my arms and legs
has improved and has enabled me to
postpone another knee replacement. My
posture is better and so is my balance.
Without these classes I believe I may have
been walking with sticks or a frame.”
STAYING SOCIAL
A local charity Neighbourly
Care has been helping
residents feel more socially
included again after spells of
isolation. Loneliness can have
a debilitating effect on health
and becoming isolated from the
community can make it more difficult
to find help and support if you fall.
The charity has its main centre in
Ruislip Road, Northolt, but it also offers
activities in various locations in West
Ealing, Acton, Southall, Greenford
and Perivale.
Ealing resident Doris Van Der Heyden
has been a volunteer at Neighbourly
Care for around three years. She signed
up after attending an open day. She
said: “It was an impulsive action I have
never regretted.
“I took a group of older people
to Neighbourly Care’s Big Day Out
recently. After an event I asked the
older people about their thoughts, and
they replied: ‘We arrived knowing no
one, but at the end of the day, when
we said goodbye, we felt we were
leaving friends behind.’ I call that the
Neighbourly Care effect.”
You can contact Neighbourly
Care on 020 8571 1929 to find
out more.
Vera
O’Higgins
OTHER HELP
There are other ways in
which the council’s team
can help you stay safe
in the home, including
a handyperson scheme
which can help older
residents with minor
jobs around the home –
call 020 8825 6070.
TOP TIPS TO
AVOID FALLS
1
Get regular sight and
hearing checks
Look after your feet; wear
properly fitted shoes and
slippers with non-slip soles. See a
chiropodist if necessary
2
Be safe moving around
your home at night.
Increase visibility by keeping a
torch by your bed, using night
lights or leaving a light on in the
hallway and near the toilet
3
Remove or tape down
uneven tiles or carpeting,
especially in walkways, on stairs
and doorways. Keep passages clear
4
Avoid slips and falls in the
bathroom by using a
non-slip bath mat
5
Drink plenty of water and
avoid excessive amounts of
alcohol. Alcohol can affect your
balance, vision and co-ordination
6
If you are sitting for a long
time, try to get up for a
walk or stretch every 20 minutes
7
Improve your balance,
strength and co-ordination
by trying out a free strength and
balance programme or consider
Tai Chi, gentle yoga or light
stretching classes.
8
Visit www.ealing.gov.uk/falls for
more information
To make sure you get help if you
should have a fall, Ealing Careline
can set you up with a personal alarm.
You can get help in an emergency
by pressing a button – either on a
pendent worn around your neck or on
a telephone unit. There is a charge for
the service. Call 020 8575 5873.
around ealing October 2017
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