The Falls Clinic Team – left to right – Pete Sears Occupational Therapist, Karen Roberts Physiotherapist, Hayley Wylie Health Care Support Worker
Patients at the Integrated Team Falls Clinic at Savernake Hospital will now benefit from a vast array of new equipment, thanks to a generous grant of £1,211 from the Friends of Savernake Hospital and the Community.
The Integrated Team Falls Clinic assists patients who have had a fall and balance-impaired patients at risk of falling.
“After a fall, patients will often feel less confident about walking. This leads to reduced mobility and activity and, in turn, to reduced muscle strength, reduced stamina, reduced flexibility and poor balance, which can lead to another fall,” explains physiotherapist, Karen Roberts.
“One of our roles at the Falls Clinic is to reverse that cycle by increasing muscle strength, stamina and flexibility through a series of short term goals so as to increase the patient’s mobility and ensure that the patient reaches that long term goal of walking again safely and confidently, and therefore be able to return to a more independent life.”
Through an 8 week program, patients meet as a group led by Karen, Pete Sears (Occupational Therapist) & Hayley Wylie (Health Care Support Worker) and will use the new equipment to steadily improve their mobility and balance.
A sample of the equipment provided by the Friends to the Falls Clinic
“It is lovely seeing the patients, many of whom are anxious about walking, develop friendships and grow in confidence with peer support,” says Karen.
Whilst meeting as a group, each patient has an individually tailored physiotherapy circuit for each session and is assessed both at the beginning and at the end of the 8 week program.
“Variety is so important when doing these exercises,” explains Hayley, “which is why the new equipment is so welcome.” Click here to read the full article.
