At Koh-I-Noor the Allied Health team have initiated ‘Falls Prevention Fridays’, a day full of group activities dedicated to reducing the incidence of falls. There are several groups tailored to a range of differing abilities. The day kicks off with a group class at 10am. This class begins with some stretching exercises to increase mobility, paired with deep breathing to promote relaxation and focus. The class then moves on to functional strength based exercises, such as sit-stand, squats, marching on the spot and heel raises. A crowd favourite is the games portion which sees each session ending in a different game; all of which include a balance and strength component. Following the group ‘falls & balance’ class, two separate walking groups commence. The afternoons are reserved for one-on-one or small group exercises, for those residents who require a bit more support to challenge and test their limits. The feedback from the residents involved has been overwhelmingly positive with reports of increased confidence in their own physical abilities and reduced fear of falling. Objective measures to assess the benefits of the program will be carried out ongoing over the coming months.
