Charity Age Scotland offers advice on how to avoid slips and trips this winter
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Age Scotland, the national charity for older people, has issued advice on how to avoid falling this winter to prevent a trip to the hospital.
The charity explains that people are more vulnerable to slips and trips as they grow older, with one in three people over the age of 65 experiencing a fall at least once a year.
More than 18,000 older people are admitted to hospitals in Scotland each year after a fall.
This winter the issue could be more acute for older people who are struggling to heat their homes during the cost-of-living crisis, as research suggests that cold indoor environments reduce muscle strength and put older people at greater risk of falling.
Age Scotland has put together two advice guides offering tips to reduce the risk of falls and help people stay on their feet.
Keeping Your Feet in Later Life is aimed at helping older people stay confident and steady on their feet and its partner guide, Worried About Trips, Slips and Tumbles is for older people who have recently experienced a fall and includes support available from health services.
Michelle Supple, interim chief executive at Age Scotland, said: “Falls are not an inevitable part of ageing but we know that slips and trips become more common in later life and they can have an extremely debilitating impact on a person’s long-term health and confidence.
“This winter, when we know that health and social care availability will be stretched, it’s more important than ever that older people are extra careful when they are out and about, particularly during bad weather.
“There are plenty of tips about avoiding falls in our guides. They are available for free on our website or by calling Age Scotland’s helpline on 0800 12 44 222.”
