Free Ferrules for Falls Prevention
People in Yardley have been able to attend fun and interactive education sessions to learn about simple ways to reduce the risk of falls thanks to an early intervention project delivered through BCHC Charity.
The idea came from Paul Mills, an NHS colleague who works in Cardiac Rehabilitation, who says, “People became physically de-conditioned during the pandemic; muscles became weaker, and confidence waned”, which can increase the risk of people falling and becoming injured. He approached the charity with the aim of educating people on the main risks for tripping and falling, supporting them to lead healthy and independent lives in their own homes.
After a successful city-wide pilot using funding from NHS Charities Together including walking stick safety postcards, the production of a video on how to avoid falls, and a range of ferrules (the rubber stopper on the bottom of a walking aid) for ‘Walking Stick MOT’ sessions, the project was continued in Yardley thanks to funding from the Yardley Neighbourhood Network Scheme (NNS).
The MOTs provide a way for people to check the quality and grip of their ferrules, have them replaced if necessary, and find out more about how to avoid falling. Paul makes the sessions fun with a spinning wheel which depicts the main causes of falls and fractures; as the wheel comes to a stop, the topics in the segment are discussed with the audience.
Adam Larkin, Oasis Blakenhale Hub Leader, said of the session held there, “The Walking Stick MOT was brilliant, and lots of those here who participated in what he was doing had fun and learnt something too.” Sister Maura from Corpus Christi Catholic Church said, “Paul was excellent. My goodness, he had great advice and fixed a walking stick that needed fixing!”
Feedback from attendees has also been incredibly positive, with many people reporting that the sessions were informative, interesting and extremely helpful. One person said, “Thank you. The session gave me lots of ideas to help minimise the risk of falls for me and my mother”.
At a session at St Cyprians Memorial Hall on 28 June 2024, Paul spoke to an elderly gentleman who was having falls regularly and had most recently fallen only a couple of days ago. Paul talked him through the topics using his wheel and found that most things were relevant to him. The gentleman was particularly interested to learn how keeping up to date with hearing checks, eye tests and diabetes appointments could help reduce the risk of a fall. Upon checking his walking stick, Paul discovered that the ferrule was very worn, resulting in poor grip and the possibility of the stick slipping and causing a fall. The ferrule was replaced with a new one and the gentleman said he “can’t believe this is being done for free!” He thanked Paul very much for his time and was very grateful for the support and advice he had received.
So far, the project and its pilot has visited over 30 venues, provided 1,265 people with information and resources to reduce their falling risk, and changed a total of 266 ferrules. We have also been able to offer Walking Stick MOTs at the ‘50+ Festival’ thanks a microgrant from Sutton Coldfield NNS, as well as beginning to run the project in Northfield from January 2025 thanks to funding from Northfield NNS.