How can housing associations help residents avoid falls at home?

Falls are the biggest cause of accidents at home, especially for older people. However, there are steps social housing providers can take to lower the risk of accidents for their tenants.

Trent & Dove Housing have released new research and advice on how housing associations can help their tenants avoid falls in the home. Their findings come after the conclusion of Trent & Dove’s fall prevention project, conducted in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

Research shows that falls are the biggest cause of accidents in the home. This risk is greater for older people, where on average people aged 65 have a one in three chance of falling in a year, this increases to 50% for people aged 80. The annual cost to the NHS of people falling in the home is estimated to be around £2.3bn.

Trent & Dove’s project focused on face-to-face training, education and one to one intervention. The holistic approach involved identifying hazards in and around the home, but also included advice and guidance on lifestyle issues, such as regular exercise, nutrition and hydration, eyesight, hearing and medication. The project included training for frontline staff, partners, and community groups to spot hazards and people at high risk.

The outcome of the project showed the initiative to be a success. The number of residents who had falls in their homes was reduced by 69%.

• 90% of tenants said they knew more about fall prevention.
• 91% of tenants said they felt safer at home.
• 74% of tenants had taken action to reduce the risk of them falling at home.
• 73% of tenants said they felt they were less likely to have a fall at home.

With an ageing population, and the increasing demand for quality, safe housing for older people, there is more pressure on social housing to meet the needs of tenants with different needs. Read the full report on the project to find out more about what steps housing providers can take to reduce the risk of falls and accidents in the home.