Seniors: What Does The Government's Anti-fall Plan Include?

In France, falls are the cause of more than 100,000 hospitalizations and nearly 10,000 deaths per year among people over 65. On February 21, 2022, Health Minister Olivier Véran presented a new 5-point anti-fall plan to reduce these serious accidents by 20%. We propose to discover in more detail what are the solutions proposed by the government to reduce falls among seniors.

1- Identify and anticipate the risks of falls

While the French population is aging, the new anti-hair loss plan 2022 - 2024 is a real public health issue. It is organized around 5 major axes.

The first axis concerns the awareness of the entourage of the elderly and health professionals. For these people, it is a matter of learning to spot and anticipate the risks of falling in order to implement appropriate measures at the right time.

If you are in the entourage of a senior citizen, you can notably use the small exercises of the Icope program developed by the Gerontopôle of Toulouse and validated by the World Health Organization: https://inspire.chu-toulouse.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Icope-Step-1-OMS-Papier-DEFINITIVE.pdf

2 - Arrange the accommodation

The second axis of the anti-fall plan presented by the government concerns home adaptation. Adapting one's living space is a useful preventive reflex for everyone, but more particularly for seniors, whose eyesight diminishes and reflexes become blunted.

In order to prevent falls, it is important to think about
- removing obstacles on the floor, such as wires that drag and carpets that slide
- freeing up walkways, for example by removing awkward furniture in hallways
- improving lighting
- Keeping the most useful everyday items within easy reach.

This arrangement is important to avoid loss of autonomy and to be able to stay at home as long as possible, even until the end of one's life, as is the case for more than 70% of people in France today.

Depending on the configuration of your home, you can also consider installing a walk-in shower and a stair lift.

You'll soon be able to find out more from Ma Prime Adapt', a specialized service that is expected to launch during 2022. Some of these home adaptations will be covered at 100%.

3- Use of technical aids

Some specific equipment makes it easier for seniors to get around and safer.

This is of course the case of the walker and the wheelchair but also the seat to be able to shower sitting down, the support bar well placed in the shower and near the bed or a toilet booster.

To be noted: people who have already fallen can be taken care of within the framework of specific post-hospitalization rehabilitation modules and thus have the opportunity to test these different technical aids.

4- Practice a physical activity

We don't always think about it, but maintaining or resuming physical activity is the best preventive action against falls.

In fact, people who stay physically active hurt themselves less in the event of a fall because of their good muscles and sharper reflexes.

That's why seniors should continue as much as possible and at their own pace to engage in physical activity such as going out to run errands on foot or by bus, joining a hiking or gentle gym club, and getting out of the house to see friends.

To encourage seniors to maintain or resume physical activity, the government's anti-fall plan calls for developing the supply of adapted physical activity (APA) for seniors.

Maisons Sport-Santé, local authorities and communal social action centers will be the preferred places to implement these adapted physical activity programs.

In the coming months, the government plans to experiment a 'care basket' prevention of falls, in collaboration with an adapted physical activity provider, a dietician and an occupational therapist.

5- Develop remote assistance for all

The 5th axis of the 2022-2024 anti-fall plan calls for developing remote assistance for all.

This tool, reassuring for people who live alone at home, consists of a small device to be worn around the neck or wrist to alert a loved one in case of need.

The government plans to reduce the remaining cost for users, in order to facilitate access to teleassistance services.

In addition, the Ministry of Health will soon offer a geolocated map to allow seniors and their families to identify anti-fall services and actions near their homes.