Mobile service helps keep elderly out of hospital

A new Derbyshire mobile service is reducing the number of elderly and frail patients who fall over in their homes who need to visit hospital. While mobility aids such as stairlifts and rise and recliner chairs go a long way towards lowering the risk of potentially harmful falls in the elderly, this new service helps those unfortunate enough to suffer such injuries.

Health chiefs now claim that less elderly people who suffer falls in the home will need hospital treatment under the new service as they found that 67 of the 115 patients seen by the falls partnership service set up in north Derbyshire did not have to go to hospital after having been seen by the service. This figure comes from the number of patients to have benefitted from the service since its launch in November of last year to January.

Cost-effective care

The number of falls a person suffers increases with age and for that reason their health and independence can be affected. It is hoped with the provision of such services and the quality mobility aids and stairlifts Manchester offers nearby Derbyshire’s elderly can continued to be cared for despite recent funding cuts.

According to their findings, the falls partnership service has saved over £190,000 in the reduction of avoidable hospital admissions meaning that if the service continues at such a rate it will more than recover its costs twice over in the current financial year. As the service is now taking 999 calls it is expected to be put to further use in the near future and have a dramatic impact on the number of serious injuries caused by falls in the UK, which costs the NHS over £2.3 billion a year according to this article.

While the new Derbyshire service looks to reduce hospital visits following a fall, the best cure is prevention, which is why Handicare have a great range of walk in shower and bath enclosures for the elderly.

Image Credit: gwire (flickr.com)