Stay Safe for Older People

Stay Safe for Older People is a vital new initiative providing essential information to older people and those who care for them; helping them stay safe, healthy and avoid preventable accidents.

Saving the distress and often catastrophic implications of these accidents and reducing the impact to the NHS of these totally avoidable admissions.

Stay Safe for Older People – https://www.staysafe.support

The aim: to make it easier for older people, and those who care for them, to access vital information and advice that supports their health and wellbeing.

The service: www.staysafe.support is a free information and resource website signposting older people, their friends, family and carers to a wealth of expert services and support to help them stay safe, healthy and avoid preventable accidents.

The problem: the information for elderly people can be disparate and hard to track down.

The solution: Our umbrella site https://www.staysafe.support is clearly signposted, regularly updated, well organised and user friendly. It unites many organisations and support groups all aiming to help older people stay safe, remain healthy and independent and avoid hospital admissions arising from preventable accidents in the home environment.

www.staysafe.support: founded and funded by Emma Hammett RGN (First Aid for Life) and Carolyn Cripps OBE (Fit for Life).

Key partners: Age UK, RoSPA, Trading Standards Scams and Fraud Team.

Key players and influencers: Electrical Safety First, Gas Safe, HSE, Women’s Institute, E-Scams, National Fire Chiefs Council and many more.

The challenge: to reduce the pressure on the NHS. The blistering summer means the usual summer lull hasn’t happened. The overstretched NHS is instead braced for one of the most challenging winters in its 70-year-old history. One way of reducing the pressure on the NHS is to minimise the huge number of elderly needing emergency treatment as a result of totally preventable accidents in the home.

The figures: Figures from RoSPA show in 2016-2017 there were 316,669 hospital admissions in England of people 65 and over, due to falling. This is the equivalent of a staggering 867 each day.

Fatal figures: according to Age UK, falls are the biggest cause of hospital admissions for older people. Recent figures show 4,984 people age 65 and over died from falls, an average of 13 deaths per day.

The prediction: experts predict that within 2 years almost 1,000 elderly per day will be taken into hospital after suffering a fall.

The cost: falls can be catastrophic for the elderly, leaving them unable to walk, declining in health and dependent on others. This has associated health costs at home, or in hospital.

StaySafe.Support intends: to halt this trend by sourcing and supplying older people and their carers with vital information to prevent avoidable accidents and reduce the consequential impact on the NHS.

The outcome: healthier, happier older people who stay well and independent for longer. A significantly less-stretched and financially healthier NHS.

Stay Safe supporters: the Deputy Mayor of London for Social Integration, Matthew Ryder will be attending the launch of Stay Safe on behalf of the Mayor, Sadiq Khan. BBC Health Editor, Hugh Pym, is hoping to join us too.

Dame Esther Rantzen is extremely supportive of our initiative. We are discussing how we can work closer with her and Silver Line Helpline for Older People.

Invitation to the launch of Stay Safe:

We would love you to join us to celebrate the launch of Stay Safe for Older People:

Launch date: Monday October 1^st 2018.

Date significance: the United Nations Day of the Older Person.

The venue: Wren House, Royal Hospital Chelsea, SW3 4SR.

The nearest tube is Sloane Square.

There will be lots of photographic opportunities with scarlet clad

Chelsea Pensioners in the iconic Chelsea Hospital setting

The time: 10am to 12pm.

RSVP: Please click here to book your free place to join us

Further key dates during Stay Safe Week #staysafe:

Wednesday 3^rd October: Age UK are holding an educational event for influencers and decision makers at their London HQ.

Friday 5^th October: Stay Safe- Hoaxes and Scams - a safety talk. As part of ‘Stay Safe week’ a talk from safety experts informing you of the risks of hoaxes and scams and the opportunity for you to ask questions.

Support us: Come and join us for the exciting launch of Stay Safe.

Please connect us: with anyone you think may be interested or who would like to be involved.

The hashtag: If you can’t join us on the day we would love you to still show your support by using #StaySafe on social media.

The contacts: for more information, enquiries, directions or to get involved contact: Emma at emma@firstaidforlife.org.uk or call us on 020 8675 4036.

We really look forward to hearing from you.

With very best wishes,

Emma Hammett RGN and Carolyn Cripps OBE