Falling can be an upsetting experience. The possibility of falling can also hamper everyday life.

The Falls and Bone Health Service offers appointments with our clinical team, who can advise you on ways to avoid falling and avoid the risk of bone fractures.

During your appointment

Telephone appointments usually last around 30 minutes. Face-to-face assessments last 45 to 60 minutes. 

If you wish, you can bring a relative or friend with you.

During your appointment, we will carry out an assessment of your situation.  We will:

  • Ask you questions about your history of falling, if relevant.
  • Ask you about any medicines you take.  This includes medicines prescribed by your GP and over-the-counter products. 
  • Ask you about your home environment.
  • Take your blood pressure and pulse when you sit, stand and lie down.
  • Weigh you and measure your height.
  • Assess your strength, balance and mobility.
  • Discuss your eyesight.
  • Talk to you about osteoporosis (a condition that weakens bones), bone health and ways to prevent bone fractures.
  • Look at your feet and shoes to see if they might cause you to fall.
  • Assess aspects of your function, for example walking, moving between surfaces and standing.
  • Assess how you feel about getting down onto the floor and up off the floor. This can be a significant fear for people who have previously fallen.

Treatment plans

Our goal is to help you feel better informed about ways to avoid falling in the future.

Using the answers you gave to our questions, we will formulate a treatment plan on how best to help reduce your risk of falling.

We will discuss this plan with you, taking into account your own specific goals.

Treatment plans include:

  • group or one-to-one exercise sessions to improve balance and strength  
  • how to get up off the floor
  • home hazard assessments
  • outdoor mobility practice
  • walking aid provision
  • gait (pattern of walking) re-education.

We will send a copy of your assessment, our recommendations and your treatment plan to you and to your GP.

Referrals

After your appointment, we may refer you to other services, including the following:

  • your GP, to discuss or change your current medicines
  • a bone scan via your GP
  • a podiatrist (an expert on foot and ankle conditions) for foot care
  • The Continence Service
  • community exercise programmes
  • voluntary organisations

More information

For more information visit the Kingston Hospital Falls and Bone Service page.

Contact information

Falls and bone health service, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm

 

For correspondence only:
Whitton Health and Social Care Centre, Percy Road, Twickenham TW2 6JL

Telephone:

020 8614 5397