Falls (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)

When the last health needs assessment on falls was completed in 2012, a small survey of people's beliefs and attitudes towards falls was conducted in the Viking Centre shopping facility in Jarrow and in the homes of housebound individuals served by the Intermediate Care Team. The survey showed the following:

• Many people are concerned about falling, but feel it is a natural and possibly unavoidable aspect of getting older.
• Falls may be underreported due to the stigma attached.
• One-third of community active and over one-half of homebound people reported having a fall.
• Only one-third of those who fell sought help afterwards.
• Those able to access the community reported:
  • More regular exercise
  • More options to be active
  • More isolation than those unable to access the community.
• Those unable to access the community reported:
  • Lower knowledge of their own medications
  • Fewer options to be active and less exercise
  • Limitations to activity
  • Less concern about the effects of alcohol
  • More falls, but also that falling need not be part of getting older.

(Metz, 2012)