RUH physiotherapists celebrate active ageing

Older patients and visitors at the Bath RUH are being encouraged to be more active to help them stay fit and healthy.

Today, (Friday September 30) physiotherapists put on a display in the hospital's main entrance atrium to hand out advice and information on the importance of active ageing. It was to mark Older People's Day on Saturday October 1, a national event designed to celebrate the contribution of older people in society.

Physiotherapist Carla Woodland said: "We are proud to be taking part in Older People's Day and we will be on hand this Saturday to give older people advice on how stay fit and healthy - and we'll be holding an exercise masterclass for anyone to take part in.

Carla and her team will also be handing out a new 'Get Up and Go' guide, which gives important advice on how older people can fall-proof their home and stay safe while out in their local community, as well as providing specific exercises to help with strength and balance.

She said: "Falls are not an inevitable part of ageing and there are a number of simple steps that everyone can take to reduce their risk. We want to encourage people to start doing some basic exercises to keep active, as prevention is possible."

Coinciding with the guide, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) has also produced a new 'Get Up and Go' video which helps calculate a person's risk of falling. Both are available at www.csp.org.uk/getupandgo

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Notes to editor:

The event is one of hundreds being run across the UK by members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).

Older People's Day 2016
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 Older People's Day supports the campaign to challenge negative attitudes and outdated stereotypes.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