Falls Prevention Awareness Week – 21 – 25 September

Working in partnership with Shetland ForWirds, we've created a campaign poster in the Shetland language to encourage people to think about simple steps they can take to reduce their risk of falls.

The idea came from Occupational Therapist Norma Wishart, who was inspired by her dad and recognised how we communicate can help a message feel more familiar, memorable and rooted in the community. By putting a local twist on the awareness week in support of the National Council on Ageing (NCOA), Norma hopes the message will reach even more people and encourage conversations about the small things we can all do to stay safe, well and independent.

A big thank you to Shetland ForWirds for helping bring this poster to life for the week.

We’ve also created another version with the full translation because it’s important that we reach everyone in our community who may not use the Shetland language. You can read the full text, below.

Six steps to prevent a fall 

As we age, it’s important to maintain your strength, health and wellbeing. By taking some small steps, you can reduce your risk of having a fall and keep doing the things you enjoy! Many falls are preventable.

1)  Attend a local balance and exercise class. It can help to improve your strength, balance and flexibility. Take a friend along with you.

2) Speak to any health or social care professional you are seeing. Highlight to them, any recent falls you've had. Seek an assessment of your risk of falling.

3)  Routinely review your medication with your doctor or pharmacist to check you aren't experiencing any unhelpful side effects. Only take medications as prescribed.

4)  Get your hearing and vision checked yearly and update your glasses. Your ears and eyes are key to keeping you steady. Ensure you wear well fitting and supportive shoes and slippers.

5)  Keep your home safe and clear. Remove any trip hazards, make sure stairways are clear and improve lighting. Fit grab rails in helpful areas of the house.

6)  Talk to your family and get their help in taking steps to stay safe and active. Falls are not just an issue for older adults.

Six steps tae prevent a faa

As we git aalder, hit’s important tae keep yir strent, health an weelness up. Bi takkin some peerie steps, du can reduce dee risk o hivin a faa an keep doin da things du enjoys! Mony o da faas fokk hae, ir preventable.

1)  Finn a good balance an exercise program. Look tae bigg up yir balance, strent, an suppleness. Finn a program dat du laeks an tak a friend wi dee!

2)  Spaek tae da doctor, nurse or ony health or social care professional du is seein. Akse fir an assessment o da risks du might hae o hivin a faa. Share da history o ony recent faas yir hed.

3)  Regularly review da medications yir takkin wi yir doctor ir pharmacist. Mak sure ony side-effects irna increasin da risk o dee haein a faa. Tak medications onnly as prescribed.

4)  Git dee veesion an hearin checked annually an update dee glasses. Dye een an lugs ir key tae keepin dee steady on dee fit. Wear weel fittin an supportive shun an smucks.

5)  Keep dee hom safe an kirsen. Tak awa ony trip hazards, mak da stairs safe, an mak sure ony dark rooms is lit whin necessary. Hae grab-bars installed in particular pairts o dee hoose.

6)  Spaek wi dee faimly aboot whit support dey can offer an whit peerie bits o wark dey can dö tae help dee byde safe. Haein a faa isna juist a worry fir owlder fokk.

To learn more, go to:

• Otago Programme - Healthy Shetland
• www.ncoa.org/FallsPrevention
• https://www.healthyshetland.com/falls-prevention-2/
• Public Health Scotland - Up and about: Taking positive steps to avoid trips and falls
• NHS Inform - Keeping active to help prevent falls | NHS inform
• Shetland ForWirds - Promoting and Celebrating the Shetland Dialect

Small grab rail installation

• Hjaltland Housing Association. Phone 01595 741 368 for privately owned houses.
• Shetland Islands Council Housing Repair line.  Phone 01595 744399 for council houses.