Preventing falls in older people: evaluating a peer education approach

Initiatives in falls prevention usually rely on the expertise of health professionals and are therefore limited in scope. In order to reach a wider audience, a peer education programme in Bradford gave one-off sessions to groups of older people providing information about falls prevention and demonstrating simple balance and strength building exercises. Although evaluation found the programme to be well received, it also revealed a high rate of undisclosed falls and a reluctance to inform, or seek advice from, health professionals. It was not clear how far this was to do with embarrassment or being seen as not coping, but suggests that a more appropriate role for health professionals may be one that is complementary and supportive within a broad educational and facilitative programme embodying peer education.