Falls Prevention Awareness Week: Small Steps Can Make a Big Difference
Falls Prevention Awareness Week takes place from 21 to 25 September 2026, raising awareness of the steps people can take to reduce their risk of falling and remain active, confident and independent for longer.
Falls are common as we get older, but they should not simply be accepted as an inevitable part of ageing. Around one in three people aged 65 and over experience at least one fall each year, rising to around half of people aged 80 and over.
For some people, a fall causes a minor injury. For others, it can have a much greater impact on mobility, confidence and independence.
Falls Prevention Awareness Week is therefore a useful reminder that there are practical ways to identify risk factors early and help people stay safer on their feet.
Why Falls Can Have Such a Big Impact
The physical effects of a fall can vary considerably. Some people may experience bruising or soft tissue injuries, while others may sustain fractures or require hospital treatment.
The impact can also go beyond the initial injury.
After a fall, it is common for someone to feel less confident about walking or completing everyday activities. That fear of falling again can lead to reduced movement, which may then contribute to a loss of strength, balance and mobility.
This can become a difficult cycle. The less someone moves, the harder everyday activities can become, potentially increasing their risk of another fall.
That is why falls prevention is not simply about avoiding hazards. Maintaining physical ability and confidence is equally important.
How Physiotherapy Can Help With Falls Prevention
Physiotherapy can play an important role in helping older adults improve or maintain the physical abilities that support safe movement.
A physiotherapist can assess areas such as:
- balance
- muscle strength
- walking pattern
- mobility
- transfers
- confidence when moving
- previous falls or near misses
From there, an individual programme can be developed around the person’s abilities and goals.
Strength and balance activities are widely recognised as important elements of falls prevention and healthy ageing. Staying active can help people maintain mobility, confidence and independence in everyday life.
For some people, this may involve practising walking safely. For others, it might mean building the strength needed to get up from a chair, use stairs or move more confidently around the home.
Occupational Therapy and a Safer Home Environment
Falls risk is not only influenced by physical ability. The environment around someone can also make a significant difference.
Occupational therapists can assess how a person manages everyday tasks within their home and identify practical ways to make those activities safer.
This might include looking at:
- furniture layout
- access around the home
- bathroom safety
- transfers in and out of bed or chairs
- equipment and mobility aids
- trip hazards
- lighting
- footwear and everyday routines
Simple adaptations can sometimes have a major impact.
Local falls prevention campaigns also highlight measures such as grab rails, home adaptations and appropriate assistive equipment as ways of reducing falls risk and helping people remain independent.
Falls Prevention Is About More Than Balance
It is easy to think of falls prevention as simply practising balance exercises, but there are often several contributing factors.
Risk can be affected by mobility, strength, vision, medication, hydration, footwear, the home environment and overall health.
That means falls prevention should be approached individually.
Someone who has recently returned home after a hospital stay may have very different needs from somebody who has gradually noticed their balance becoming less reliable.
Understanding why someone is at risk is an important first step towards putting the right support in place.
Rebuilding Confidence After a Fall
Fear of falling can sometimes be as limiting as the physical injury itself.
Someone who was previously independent may begin avoiding stairs, outdoor walks or other activities because they are worried about falling again.
Rehabilitation can help rebuild that confidence gradually.
Practising movements in a safe, supported way can help someone understand what they are capable of and develop strategies for situations they find difficult.
Progress does not always mean returning immediately to previous levels of activity. Sometimes it means taking manageable steps towards greater confidence and independence.
Supporting Independence for Longer
Falls prevention ultimately comes back to helping people continue doing the things that matter to them safely.
That might mean walking independently around the home, getting outside, managing personal care or simply feeling confident enough to move without constant worry.
Therapies on Thames supports older adults through physiotherapy, occupational therapy and rehabilitation, with programmes tailored to individual needs and circumstances.
Support can focus on reducing falls risk, rebuilding strength and balance, improving mobility or helping somebody regain confidence following a fall or hospital stay.
Falls Prevention Awareness Week is a useful reminder that small changes made early can have a meaningful impact.
If you are concerned about your own mobility, or the mobility of a family member or somebody in your care, the Therapies on Thames team can help assess their needs and recommend appropriate rehabilitation support.