Stronger Steps, Safer Futures

By Gail Brown • October 22, 2024

For those over 80, the risk of falling doubles, and once someone has fallen, their chances of falling again increases by 50 percent^[2]. With falls costing the healthcare system a staggering £6.7 billion annually^[3], providers are actively seeking ways to alleviate pressures and cut costs. However, research has proven that falling isn’t an inevitable factor of aging, in fact, a person’s risk of falls can be identified and even reduced^[4].

From ambulance call outs, GP visits, attendance at Emergency Departments and for some, prolonged admissions in hospital, the impact on healthcare resources is huge. The most problematic of these being hip fractures, which are associated with high mortality risk and a median length of stay in hospital of 20.2 days^[5].

There is also a social cost, as some individuals require residential or nursing care home placements, while those who can return home may need continuing assessment by therapy teams^[5].

On an individual level, it has been estimated that 40 percent of people who fall are left with a moderate or extensive injury ^[6]. The consequences can also be devastating.

Away from the physical effects, the experience of falling can have a huge impact on an individual’s fear of future falls and quality of life, directly affecting their independence^[8]. This in turn has a wider ripple effect on those close to individuals who fall. Increased caring responsibilities come at high personal and financial costs, adding significant pressure on loved ones. Currently in the UK one in five adults provide care to a family or friend^[9], this figure is predicted to increase by over 10 percent in the next 10 years due to an aging population^[15].

Over the next 40 years, the population of people aged 65-79 is predicted to increase by 30 percent, whilst the number of people aged 80 and over is set to double^[10]. Now more than ever it is imperative that as our elderly population continues to grow, we implement strategies to help people keep healthy, active and upright for longer.

The good news is that health professionals are getting better at recognising falls risks.

This may be because there are modifiable factors that can make a difference, for example: medication management, optimising nutrition and hydration and identifying home hazards. But the most widely researched intervention is exercise.

However, interventions are normally healthcare led programmes which require a trained professional to deliver the course in person. There are incurred costs of this due to the need to have a space to run them, a trained professional to deliver them^[5], and they exclude many participants who are unable to travel. Rural and coastal populations are set to have the highest increase in elderly people, underscoring the need for home-based falls prevention as a more practical and accessible option^[10].

PreActiv’s Falls Prevention platform mitigates these barriers, focusing on individualised programmes that build up strength and balance and include falls prevention education, and strategies.

The platform meets NICE guidelines as a multifactorial intervention^[2], engages people in regular strength and balance training, informed by proven falls programmes and supplemented with techniques for anxiety management.

Most importantly, PreActiv’s remote approach removes the need for costly in-person intervention and allows the patient to maximize session frequency. This in turn reduces patient travel, health barriers and carbon emissions while alleviating staff pressure.

As digital literacy among older adults continues to rise—with Age UK reporting that 82 percent of adults aged 65 and over now use the internet^[14] — we have a unique opportunity to bring Falls Prevention directly into people’s homes. By doing so, we can expand access to essential services, promote health equity, and help lower both the financial and logistical pressures on healthcare services. Embracing this shift is not just about innovation; it’s about empowering individuals to take stronger steps and build safer futures.