In Montpellier, 19% of the population is over 60 years old. The city therefore decided to organize a fall prevention day for the elderly. Around forty people participated in a workshop with exercises to assess fall risks. In France, falls cause the death of 12,000 seniors per year.
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How can you avoid falls that can be fatal when you are an elderly person? The city of Montpellier, where 19% of the population is over 60, aims to be a leader in the field of fall prevention among seniors.
The first national day on this subject took place Tuesday October 1, 2024. Prevention exercises were offered to Dr. Bonnet’s senior citizens club, in the presence of experts in the field.
At 80, Ginette tests herself to see if she still walks properly. “The person will cover a distance of 4 meters and we measure the time it will take. This is an indicator of the risk of falls. There is also Time up and go, where we ask the person to get up, walk, turn around and go back to sit down. This helps detect the risk of falls. explain Leïlou Galix responsable de l’atelier.
The slightest misstep is noted. But for Ginette, everything is fine. “According to these young ladies, I don’t have much risk of falling. For me, it’s important. You have to try not to fall.” she emphasizes. Catherine also came to assess herself. Because she knows the fall: “At home, I fell from my height and broke my foot twice,” says the septuagenarian.
Around forty elderly people took advantage of the workshop. But this falls prevention day is above all an opportunity to raise awareness among as many people as possible. And the solutions exist. “You have to combine efforts on yourself, but also physical activity. The layout of your home and the city is also important. All of this combined will help reduce the risk of serious falls and ensure that people age actively. and without falls”, says Professor Hubert Blain, head of the gerontology department at Montpellier University Hospital and organizer of this prevention day.
In France, with 12,000 deaths per year, falls among seniors kill four times more than road accidents. In 2022, a national anti-fall plan for the elderly has been launched. Objective: reduce hospitalizations and deaths linked to falls by more than 20%.
