Sure Footing for Steady Steps An innovative city project, designed to enable adults to gain improved balance with the aim of preventing future falls, has received an additional grant of £74,800 from the Prevention Investment Fund through the Edinburgh Integrated Care Funding panel. Steady Steps, developed and delivered by Edinburgh Leisure and funded through the Prevention Investment Fund, draws on scientific evidence to deliver tailored exercises in a 16 week programme that helps increase balance, confidence, independence and social interaction. Amy Fastier, Development Officer for Steady Steps at Edinburgh Leisure explained:
“Steady Steps is delivering real life changing results for around 400 people each year. The additional funding is a huge boost to our programme and will allow us to grow the capacity and geographic spread of Steady Steps in our next financial year whilst ensuring that waiting times to access the programme are kept to below four weeks. “In-depth evaluation through Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology has revealed that for every £1 invested in Steady Steps, the programme delivers a social and economic return of at least £13.”
Councillor Ricky Henderson, Health, Social Care and Housing Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s important people realise that falling is not an inevitable part of getting older as many falls can be prevented. By making a few simple changes, older people can reduce the risk of falling both in and out of the home. “The consequences of a fall can be devastating but projects such as Steady Steps can make a real difference to older people’s lives.”
Research has shown that as you get older individuals are more likely to fall and, once this has happened, the chances of another fall are dramatically increased. This also has a knock-on effect on the confidence of some adults, deterring them from going out and socialising. The methods used by Steady Steps are known to reduce falls by up to 35%, as well as having a really positive effect on the overall physical, mental and social wellbeing of participants by providing much valued social opportunities through ‘coffee and chat’ time after each session.
As a health and wellbeing charity, Edinburgh Leisure runs over 30 leisure and sport venues in the city and creates opportunities for everyone to get active, stay active and achieve more. Steady Steps is one of a range of community health referral programmes provided by Edinburgh Leisure that use physical activity to improve the lives of people affected by health conditions, disabilities and poverty.
For further information please contact: Kerry Teakle, Edinburgh Leisure PR Officer. Tel: 0131 458 2104 or 07540 743251
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