Enforced isolation during Covid lockdowns, leading to a lack of exercise, has been blamed for lower mobility and an increase in falls for the elderly – tomazl/E+
A top British medical professor has blamed lockdown for a concerning jump in the number of potentially deadly falls suffered by people, The Telegraph can reveal.
Figures for 2022 – the latest full calendar year available – show that the number of calls for ambulances because of falls was more than 16 per cent higher than in each of the previous two years, indicating worrying after-effects of the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.
In the UK, falls are the most common cause of injury-related death in those aged 75 and over, and, according to the NHS, they are the number one cause for older people in the UK having to go to A&E.
Freedom of information requests were submitted to the 13 ambulance trusts in Great Britain for 2020, 2021 and 2022, asking for the numbers of calls to them requiring attendance for falls. The figures show that the calls rose slightly in 2021 but then jumped severely in 2022. In 2022, there were 1,134,653 calls about falls. In 2020, the figure was 971,020 and in 2021 it was 973,316.
Prof Dalgleish said: “All the science, and even the NHS’s own guidance, demonstrates the importance of remaining active as we age. By restricting our opportunities to do this – and in the early lockdowns even limiting the amount of time we could exercise – we imposed rules, which had a significant detrimental effect on health outcomes and, despite its aims to ‘protect the NHS’, could in fact have resulted in people needing hospital treatment they may otherwise have not.
“We must learn from this: keeping mobile and active is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle at any age, but especially as we grow older and lose muscle mass.”
Senior GP Dr Graham Barter said: “By encouraging the elderly to limit their activity and rest excessively, you are going to cause weakness and muscle loss. We need muscles at any age, and particularly when we are older, to help maintain our balance and mobility.”
A 2021 Age UK report found that 17 per cent of older people believed they were more unsteady on their feet than before the pandemic.
Five per cent of falls cause fractures and the cost of fragility fractures to the UK is £4.4 billion each year, of which £1.1 billion is the cost of social care.
The ambulance figures were sought by The Access Group – which provides software to the NHS, local authorities and social care providers, and also pioneers technology that puts vulnerable people in touch with healthcare workers.
Vicky Mudd, Access health support and care clinical director, said: “These statistics show the huge pressure being placed on emergency services and the costs which could be refocused to support the NHS elsewhere. We should be looking to address how we support people who are vulnerable to falls and the staff who work in our health and social care services.
“Technology-enabled care can help prevent a crisis, by using reactive alarms and digital insights to analyse activity and patterns of behaviour. For example, data from digital devices such as personal alarms and hydration cups can monitor trends and activity, flagging a potential hazard before an incident happens, such as a person being dehydrated, leading to an increased likelihood of a fall.
“Devices can also raise alarms to provide assistance, ensuring timely support can be delivered when needed. Real-time data, sensors to enable trend analysis and location-mapping of an individual are all features that technology can deliver now to give individuals the confidence to be independent, knowing that help is at hand if needed.”
Play The Telegraph’s brilliant range of Puzzles – and feel brighter every day. Train your brain and boost your mood with PlusWord, the Mini Crossword, the fearsome Killer Sudoku and even the classic Cryptic Crossword.
News Related
-
Anyone who’s purchased gift baskets to hand out to loved ones this holiday season might need to find a backup present after the latest food recall that involves festive cookies. Gift basket company Wine Country Gift Baskets just announced that it is voluntarily recalling all gift baskets that feature Acorn Baking ...
See Details:
Recall Just Announced For Popular Cookies Featured In Holiday Gift Baskets
-
LOS ANGELES: Quarterback Jalen Hurts ran in an overtime touchdown to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 37-34 NFL win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday (Monday in Manila) and move them to 10-1 on the season. The Eagles, who lost the Super Bowl to Kansas City last season, trailed at half-time ...
See Details:
Eagles rally past Bills in overtime as Chiefs win
-
Yen Makabenta First word WHILE UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other promoters of the climate emergency are preparing to convene the 28th conference of the parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in the United Arab Emirates, starting on November 30 and stretching to December 12, ...
See Details:
Reality bites the green energy agenda
-
Sandigan orders Marcos Sr. pal to pay workers The Sandiganbayan has ordered the enforcement of a July 2023 ruling ordering a Marcos Sr. associate to pay a lumber company’s workers P2.1 million in damages as well as return 60 percent of their company’s shares and pay all unpaid benefits. The ...
See Details:
Sandigan orders Marcos Sr. pal to pay workers
-
DSWD: Shear line, LPA affect 1.2 million people; over 18,000 families evacuated MANILA, Philippines – More than 18,000 families have fled to evacuation centers across flood-affected regions in the country due to the impact of the shear line and low pressure area. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) gave ...
See Details:
DSWD: Shear line, LPA affect 1.2 million people; over 18,000 families evacuated
-
-
MANILA, Philippines: The entire Luzon, including Metro Manila, is expected to experience isolated rain showers and thunderstorms as the northeast monsoon (“amihan”) and easterlies will be affecting the country over the next 24 hours, the state-run weather agency said on Tuesday. Weather specialist Patrick del Mundo of the Philippine Atmospheric ...
See Details:
Rain showers, thunderstorms over Luzon, including Metro Manila — Pagasa
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
'Naruto' live-action film adaptation is in the works
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
NASA Highlights Stingray Nebula
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Manila's Lagusnilad underpass opens
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
China probes debt-ridden financial giant
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
China's VUCA situation
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Unraveling the mystery that is diabetes
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Bangladesh's nuke plant is not going to steal PH investments
OTHER NEWS
ALIW Awards Foundation Inc. President Alice H. Reyes has released the names of finalists for the 2023 Aliw Awards to be presented on Dec. 11, 2023, at the Manila Hotel ...
Read more »
WhatsApp Web gains the feature of single-view photos and videos (Photo: Unsplash) The WhatsApp Web, the desktop version of the popular messaging app from Meta, has received an update allowing ...
Read more »
Young athletes’ time to shine in Siklab Awards MANILA, Philippines — The future heroes of Philippine sports will be honored during the third Siklab Youth Sports Awards on Dec. 4 ...
Read more »
Graphics by Jannielyn Ann Bigtas A local government official said Monday that five to 10 barangays in Northern Samar are still isolated following the massive flooding in the area last ...
Read more »
DyipPay app lets you pay jeepney fare, book tricycles “Barya lang po sa umaga.” Everyone who rides jeepneys knows this rule: it may not be an actual law, but it’s ...
Read more »
Updated In-Season Tournament Bracket ahead of pool play finale Tuesday will mark the last day of pool play for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. From there, six first-place teams and ...
Read more »
PCG forms teams for maritime emergency response MANILA, Philippines — Recent incidents of fishermen lost in the waters off Southern Tagalog have prompted the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to form ...
Read more »