A new digital toolkit designed to help reduce falls in older adults has been launched with the help of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC).
The new Falls Management Exercise Programme (FaME) Implementation Toolkit is an evidence-based, practical guide to support the delivery of community exercise programmes that can reduce falls by up to 30 per cent.
PenARC has been a key partner in developing and evaluating how the FaME programme can be effectively implemented in community settings. The collaboration has focused on bringing the benefits of FaME to older adults across Devon, the East Midlands and Greater Manchester.
Professor Vicki Goodwin MBE, PenARC lead for the project, said:
“The FaME programme not only reduces falls but increases confidence and supports people to get up, stay up, and live their best lives.
We’ve worked closely with local organisations including Active Devon, the South West Health Innovation Network, and health and care organisations to increase opportunities for older people in Devon to access the programme.”
The FaME programme has already demonstrated impressive results in Plymouth, where participants have experienced fewer falls and significant improvements in confidence and mobility.
Hosted on a new dedicated online platform, the FaME Implementation Toolkit is freely accessible to providers, commissioners and practitioners. It offers step-by-step resources for implementing the six-month, group-based exercise programme – designed to enhance strength, balance and independence in older adults.
Falls remain a major public health issue: one in three people over 65, and one in two over 80, experience at least one fall each year. They are the leading cause of emergency hospital admissions among older adults, accounting for over four million hospital bed days annually in England.
The toolkit was officially launched at the British Geriatrics Society Autumn Meeting, which showcases the latest scientific research and best clinical practice in the care of older people. Professor Elizabeth Orton from the University of Nottingham presented the toolkit and led a symposium on falls prevention programmes. FaME was also referenced at a recent House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee.
Professor Orton said:
“The FaME programme is not only effective at reducing falls and improving physical function, but older adults genuinely enjoy it.
“Our new toolkit shows how FaME can be delivered in real-world community settings, and we hope it will encourage wider adoption across health and social care systems.”
The toolkit represents a major collaborative effort between NIHR PenARC, NIHR ARC East Midlands, NIHR ARC Wessex, and NIHR ARC Greater Manchester, alongside Health Innovation South West and the Universities of Nottingham, Manchester, Exeter and Glasgow Caledonian, Later Life Training, and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Director of NIHR ARC East Midlands, added:
“The impact of falls on older people can be devastating. With the new FaME toolkit, we now have the practical guidance needed to deliver proven interventions at scale, helping people remain active, confident and independent.”
The ageing population is stimulating extensive NHS service redesign to deal with the challenge of caring for larger numbers of older people both in and out of hospitals. The BGS Autumn Meeting takes place annually to cover core areas of interest to all specialists responsible for the healthcare of older people.
The FaME Implementation Toolkit is now accessible online. For more information and to access the toolkit, visit here.