RUH physiotherapists champion 'active ageing' this Older People's Day

Physiotherapists at Bath's Royal United Hospital (RUH) will be marking UK Older People's Day on Thursday 1 October by promoting the importance of 'active ageing'.

'Active ageing' is described by the World Health Organisation as 'the process of optimising opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age'.

By 2035, over 23% of the UK population will be aged 65 and over and supporting people to age actively so they can enjoy good health and independence for longer is more important than ever before.

Physiotherapists at the RUH will be on hand this Thursday 1 October to offer visitors to the Trust advice on 'active ageing' and how to prevent falls, as well as offering them the chance to take part in some gentle physio-led exercise.

Carla Woodland is a Physiotherapist working on the Older Persons Unit at the RUH. She said: "There are a number of simple steps that everyone can take to stay active in older age and to reduce the risk of having a fall. Basic exercises are a good way of minimising the risk of falls and of keeping active. It is never too early to start – prevention is always better than cure.

"We are excited and proud to be taking part in Older People's Day. Our profession has an important role to play in helping older people live longer and live well."

Our friendly physio team will be situated just outside of the Lansdown restaurant from 12.30pm. The event is one of hundreds being run across the UK by members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). Physiotherapists play a key role in keeping people active and independent as they get older through providing services such as falls prevention classes, which focus on improving strength, balance and coordination, as well as identifying potential risk factors for people as they age.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

Older People's Day 2015
www.olderpeoplesday.co.uk
Older People's Day is held on 1 October every year to coincide with the UN International Day of Older Persons. The main aim is for the day to be a celebration of the achievements and contributions that older people make to society and the economy. Older People's Day supports the campaign to challenge negative attitudes and outdated stereotypes.

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
www.csp.org.uk/about-csp/what-we-do
Founded in 1894, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is the physiotherapy profession's largest membership organization. The CSP provides a wide range of member services and campaigns on behalf of all physiotherapy staff and the physiotherapy profession.

Get Up and Go: A Guide to Staying Steady
'Get Up and Go' is a new 32-page booklet produced by Saga in association with the CSP and Public Health England which gives important advice on how older people can fall-proof their home and stay safe while out in their local community. The guide, which has been released to mark Older People's Day, also contains some handy hints for how to improve strength and balance. The CSP has produced a new 'Get Up and Go' video to coincide with publication of the guide, which demonstrates the established test for assessing a person's risk of falling. The guide and video are available at www.csp.org.uk/getupandgo

Download printable version