Christmas is a time to celebrate, relax and spend quality time with loved ones, but it is also the most common time of year for injuries to occur. There are some unique hazards that come about at Christmas time, and we are often so busy with our festivities we can be distracted when it comes to keeping ourselves safe.  Lights and decorations are a common cause of injuries around this time of the year. By taking the time to be aware of your environment and potential hazards, you can make sure you don’t injure yourself or your loved ones this Christmas. Here are some tips on how you can stay safe while getting into the festive spirit:

If you are purchasing Christmas lights, ask the following questions:

• Are these lights low voltage?
• Are these lights Australian compliant? If you are purchasing lights online from overseas, they may be a different voltage, may not have a safety switch and may not comply with Australian Safety Standards.
• Are these lights outdoor approved? If you are putting up lights outside, it is important to check they are outdoor approved. Outdoor lights have additional weatherproofing to ensure they are safe, which indoor-only lights don’t have. The higher the weatherproof rating, the safer the lights will be.

If you already have Christmas lights, make sure you check them before putting them up. Most of us will only use our lights once a year, so it’s important to remember they won’t last forever! Even good quality lights will eventually need to be replaced. If you see any signs of rusting, fraying, or flickering, it is time to replace your lights.

When you’re putting up decorations:

• Remember ladder safety. Always make sure someone else is home when you are using a ladder, always maintain three points of contact and never have more than one person on the ladder at once. Ask someone else to put your decorations up if you don’t feel confident.
• Keep lights and other electric decorations away from pools and wet areas.
• Ensure hallways, paths and walkways are kept clear and clutter free. Christmas light cables, decorations, presents and anything else which could clutter up floor space and become a trip hazard should be kept off the floor and out of the way. This is especially important if there will be more people present in the space than usual.

Once your decorations are up:

• Test your smoke alarms. Smoke alarms should be tested throughout the whole year, but especially during the warmer months and if you are using Christmas lights or other electric decorations.
• Turn of all electricity powered decorations if you are going out or going to bed. Lights should never be left on unattended or overnight or used during bad weather.

Following these simple tips will help keep you safe – so you can enjoy your festivities without the fear of injury from an RCD (Rouge Christmas Decoration!).

The 8^th biennial Australian and New Zealand Falls Prevention Conference was held in Hobart, Tasmania from 18^th – 20^th November 2018. The conference, held by the Australian New Zealand Falls Prevention Society, was a unique opportunity for those researching and working in the area of falls and falls prevention. The hugely diverse audience, ranging from university researchers, clinicians working with the community, policy makers and health promotion practitioners, ensured the presentations were extremely varied.

Session topics ranged from falls in the community, vision impairment, falls in Asia, understanding brain mechanisms and clinical and hospital settings. Falls research was a hot topic, with many international and leading national falls researchers sharing their works, findings and lessons for the future.

The advancement of technology to help aid falls prevention was another key theme which ran through the conference, with many keynote speakers discussing the role of technology in preventing falls in both a clinical and home setting. Using technology as a portable exercise tool was discussed in numerous presentations, with a focus on the ability for community members to complete exercises in their own homes. Tailored smartphone apps, take home exercise DVDs, and mobile weekly fact sheets all had varying results, however provided some key lessons for future work in this space. Major developments in clinical technology included an online program for GP’s. The iSOLVE (Integrated Solutions for Sustainable Fall Prevention) decision tool was incorporated into GP clinical software, to assist with falls management in older patients.

Injury Matters staff Sonya and Chloe both attended and presented at the conference, on training for non-allied health professionals and the value of developing a balance exercise video for older adults. Training non-allied health professionals was found to improve their awareness and confidence in delivering evidence-informed falls prevention exercise strategies in older adults. Providing a workshop, resources and ongoing support enabled them to build falls prevention strategies into their practice.

A falls prevention exercise video for older adults to use in their own home was created to increase awareness of the importance of balance and enable community members to complete safe balance exercises independently. However, upon evaluation, it was found that whilst digital education can increase awareness of falls prevention strategies, strategies to overcome barriers to uptake should be considered in the developmental stage.

Running over three days, the conference was a fantastic networking and research-sharing opportunity for all those working in the field and provided a chance for communication between different programs, organisations, states and countries.

Four grants were awarded as part of the Stay On Your Feet® Strengthen Your Legs campaign. The grants aim to support community focused programs address the campaigns’ key messages. The Town of Cambridge, Goldfields Physio, the Pojulu Community of WA and the Shire of Denmark all ran programs with a focus on leg strength in older adults as part of the Strengthen Your Legs campaign.

• The Town of Cambridge ran the town’s pilot Falls Prevention Program with 10 residents. Weekly classes consisted of physiotherapist prescribed exercises with a focus on leg strength and preventing falls.
• Goldfields Physio conducted a 12 week exercise and education program for older adults living in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder area.
• The Pojulu Community of WA held a number of community information sessions for older adults in their community. The sessions focused on the importance of physical activity and healthy ageing. Community leaders were also trained to establish a culturally appropriate community walking group.
• The Shire of Denmark ran a circuit-style exercise program specifically for men ages 65 years and older living within the region.

Falls and fall-related injuries place a significant burden on the health system and can have a profound and long-lasting impact on an individual and their family.

On Tuesday 4th September 2018, 19 allied health assistants and aged care workers came together in Geraldton to learn more about the link between staying active and reducing the impact and incidence of falls among older Australians through an Active Balance workshop led by Stay On Your Feet® Physiotherapist Sonya Clark.

During the workshop participants received insight into the incidence and impact of falls and were able to experience firsthand how different health and age related risk factors can affect mobility and balance. They also explored ways they could help identify falls risk in people they encountered in their roles. Practical sessions provided experiences that highlighted the importance of balance and what they could do in their everyday practice to prevent falls in older Australians living in their community. This included practical evidence-informed exercise strategies that they could incorporate into their existing programs to support older adults to improve their strength and balance and prevent falls.

To see what upcoming training is available in your area or register your interest for future training opportunities, click here.

One in three older adults over the age of 65 years old will have a fall every year in Australia. One in three. This may have surprised you, but it shouldn’t. Most people would know someone who has experienced a fall, but it is not a health issue that is often discussed. The usual, “oh, they are getting older, so of course they are more unsteady, of course they had a fall…” is a fairly common myth, when talking about the health of our parents, grandparents, friends or neighbours.

But what if I told you that falls are preventable?

What if I told you that there are many things you can do to prevent falls, and most of them are things people already know and have learnt throughout their whole life. Simple, easy things that take hardly any time at all, but which will make a huge difference to your health.

As simple as it may seem, having strong legs is one key factor in preventing falls.

We need strong legs for absolutely everything in life; getting out of bed in the morning, going for walks, picking up the grandkids, walking through the shops, the list goes on. You would have heard the saying; ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’ and this is so true. We spend most of our time sitting, however simply moving our legs will help to keep them strong.

The Stay On Your Feet® program, provided  by Injury Matters, encourages older adults to  move their body to help keep them active, strong and independent for as long as possible. “Strong legs are one of the keys to keeping you healthy and independent for longer,” according to Injury Prevention Manager, Rachel Meade. Ms Meade says it is not always necessary to enrol in classes or visit a physiotherapist to find out ways of improving muscle strength; “simply getting up out of the chair a few times during the commercial breaks or walking to the mailbox and back a few times a day all help strengthen your legs. The trick is to keep making the exercises harder as you get stronger”.

For those that still enjoy being part of social sports and clubs, activities such as golf, tennis, lawn bowls, dancing and swimming have been found to be excellent for keeping your legs strong. “The best thing about these activities, is that they can be played both individually or in part of a group which makes it much more enjoyable and great for mental health.”

The team at Injury Matters is offering free Strengthen Your Legs information packs that can be used from the comfort of your own home, as well as other tips on how to prevent falls. To get your free resources, or for more information call 1300 30 35 40 or e-mail info@stayonyourfeet.com.au.

Alternatively, ask a physiotherapist, leisure centre fitness instructor, tai chi instructor or GP for some strengthening and balance exercises that might suit you.

Strong legs are important at every age and will keep you doing the things you enjoy.

Strengthen Your Legs with Julie promotes some of the different ways you can strengthen your legs to prevent falls, with a light-hearted twist through the characters Julie and her cat Tiddles. Follow Julie and Tiddles as they try their hands at different activities like tai chi, gym exercises and tennis.