NHS Wiltshire is encouraging older people to stay active to prevent falls.
The latest figures show that more than 2,000 people in the county aged over 75 were admitted to hospital following a fall and more than 500 people aged over 65 fractured their hip.
The total cost of hip fractures in Wiltshire is about £3 million a year.
Liz Norris, health promotion specialist at NHS Wiltshire, said: “Falling over, breaking or fracturing a hip and being admitted to a nursing home is one of the biggest fears for older people. As we age our muscle strength naturally declines which increases our risk of falls so it’s important to try to keep as active as possible so that older people have, for instance, the strength and power to rise from a chair and the balance to remain upright.”
NHS Wiltshire has funded more training for exercise professionals to be qualified in postural stability instruction, a type of exercise class which is designed for people who have suffered a fall to help them reduce the risk of having another.
GPs will be able to refer patients to such classes from September.
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