Falls awareness event for Whitland
A falls awareness event for older people is being held in Whitland today.
The Camu Mlaen (Step Forward) event gives people aged over 75 the chance to meet health and social care representatives to learn how they can help reduce their risk of falls.
The scheme has been very successful in the past, and has been proven to help reduce the number of people being admitted to hospital accident and emergency units as a result of suffering a fall.
The event, organised jointly by Carmarthenshire County Council, Hywel Dda Health Board and the voluntary sector, is being held at Whitland Memorial Hall.
More than 450 older members of the community have been invited to attend by their local GP practice.
As well as receiving helpful advice about falls prevention, they will also be able to take advantage of a range of health and wellbeing services, including foot care, and can speak to representatives from various organisations on issues such as benefit entitlement and living independently.
Rita Thomas, Joint Commissioning Officer for Older People, said: "The Camu 'Mlaen /Step Forward have proven highly successful over the years, and we are pleased to be bringing the event to Whitland.
"The project has been designed as a preventative measure to reduce the number of older people suffering falls and being taking in to hospital.
"By holding such events across the county, we have been able to significantly reduce the number of hospital admissions as a result of falls from participating GP practices."
During the event, visitors will be offered a falls assessment to predict their risk of falling, with the opportunity of ongoing preventive and rehabilitative services to help minimise that risk.
Older members of the community interested in attending are advised to contact their local GP practice.
Cllr Pat Jones, Executive Board Member for health and social care, said: "These events are proven to work, and I hope that the Whitland event will be as successful as others that have been held across Carmarthenshire."
The Camu Mlaen (Step Forward) event gives people aged over 75 the chance to meet health and social care representatives to learn how they can help reduce their risk of falls.
The scheme has been very successful in the past, and has been proven to help reduce the number of people being admitted to hospital accident and emergency units as a result of suffering a fall.
The event, organised jointly by Carmarthenshire County Council, Hywel Dda Health Board and the voluntary sector, is being held at Whitland Memorial Hall.
More than 450 older members of the community have been invited to attend by their local GP practice.
As well as receiving helpful advice about falls prevention, they will also be able to take advantage of a range of health and wellbeing services, including foot care, and can speak to representatives from various organisations on issues such as benefit entitlement and living independently.
Rita Thomas, Joint Commissioning Officer for Older People, said: "The Camu 'Mlaen /Step Forward have proven highly successful over the years, and we are pleased to be bringing the event to Whitland.
"The project has been designed as a preventative measure to reduce the number of older people suffering falls and being taking in to hospital.
"By holding such events across the county, we have been able to significantly reduce the number of hospital admissions as a result of falls from participating GP practices."
During the event, visitors will be offered a falls assessment to predict their risk of falling, with the opportunity of ongoing preventive and rehabilitative services to help minimise that risk.
Older members of the community interested in attending are advised to contact their local GP practice.
Cllr Pat Jones, Executive Board Member for health and social care, said: "These events are proven to work, and I hope that the Whitland event will be as successful as others that have been held across Carmarthenshire."
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