Mind your Step!

Falls prevention roadshow for the older population.

Benefit of health networks

Age-friendly networks in local communities ensure good practice and good ideas are circulated from one area to another, and that all areas promote the idea of an age-friendly city. Taking part in the network empowers each member of the community to have greater control in their own health care.

Location

North event – held at White Moss Youth and Community Centre / North City Nomads older people’s network in Charlestown

South event – held at Benchill Community Centre, Wythenshawe

Project team

Buzz Neighbourhood Health Workers

Physical Activity Referral Service

MLCO Falls Teams (3 localities)

Age UK

Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Home Safety Team

Manchester Care & Repair Service

North City Nomads older peoples network

Benchill Community Centre

Aim

The aim of Mind your Step! Is to create opportunities for older adults aged 60+ to gain knowledge and advice on falls prevention.

Objectives:

To raise awareness of falls prevention and associated services

To increase number of referrals into North, South and Central Falls Teams and associated services

To promote opportunities for participation in physical activity for older people

To engage with older residents and collate intelligence for falls prevention gaps / opportunities

Testimonial

“Well Done to everybody who were present and assisted on the day…. considering the bad weather…..we all made it a huge success for North Manchester” John Biggs (White Moss Youth Centre & North City Nomads)

Evaluation

Communications – a poster was designed by buzz and input received on format and visuals from local people (e.g. images were changed to reflect an active older person). This was distributed to Age Friendly Networks, MLCO, older peoples groups / networks (e.g. North City Nomads, housing providers and schemes (e.g. Northwards, Whitebeck Court).

Attendance - North event 28 residents, South event 6 residents (week before lockdown), Central event cancelled due to lockdown.

Outcomes (over 2 events):

Age UK – 27 people provided with advice and guidance, 20 showed interest in joining Harpurhey Age UK group and 1 lady referred to Care Navigator
Care & Repair – 17 provided with advice and guidance, 3 referrals into Handy Help service
GMFRS - 10 referrals
PARS – 34 people provided advice and guidance, with 2 referrals.
Falls Team – 34 people provided advice and guidance, with 9 potential referrals from 1-1 discussions
All services said they would continue to support the Mind your Step! roadshow

PDSA cycles - were used to identify how the events could be improved:

At the first event the PARS team facilitated a strength and balance exercise that required a large space and proved difficult for many older participants. At the second event PARS delivered a seated exercise band activity that proved easier for older participants to engage in.
At the first event Simon created a ‘table top display’ to ask participants ‘What activities would you like to see in North Manchester’ (that would increase physical activity levels etc). We did not receive many comments so I developed an ‘Active Ageing Quiz’ that was facilitated at the second event, providing an opportunity to speak to participants as a whole to gain ideas about what activities were missing and they would like to see more of in their neighbourhoods.

On a good footing – following cancellation of the 3^rd pilot event and Covid-19 lockdown, the AF team were unable to deliver face to face engagement, so came up with the idea of coordinating ‘falls prevention information bags’ for older residents, naming the initiative On a Good Footing!

The initiative was developed from the understanding that during the Covid-19 pandemic older residents have spent more time in their homes, there has been a significant reduction in people accessing their GP for non Covid-19 related inquiries and people have reduced their exercise levels

We are currently arranging for x180 packs (x15 per neighbourhood) to be distributed across Manchester. The packs will contain a brand new pair of non-slip slippers, hydration and nutrition info, mental health info, falls advice and a DVD produced by the PARS team to support strength and balance within the home.

Strategic links to local/national policies

Benefit	Policy
Increased mental wellbeing	Manchester Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Helping people age well	Taking Control of our Health and Social Care in Greater Manchester
Empowers people to take charge of their health	NHS Long Term Plan 2019
Enables people to live independently as they grow older	Manchester’s Self-Care Strategy
Creating an age-friendly city	Manchester Population Health Plan