The Fall Well Programme
We all fall, so this programme is for everybody who would like to learn how to become steadier and stronger to reduce the risk of falling, how to position ourself better while falling to avert serious injury and what to do after a fall to minimise any impacts on our health.
This programme brings together the latest scientific knowledge about what makes us steady and strong with the wisdom of martial arts techniques on how to fall without injury. Alice has been working with elderly people in her yoga classes for over a decade where the focus has always been on stability, strength and mobility. Alice noticed the frequency of falls in this age group and wanted to do something specific to help her students to make falls less impactful by minimizing fractures and injuries so she devised the Fall Well Programme for everyone to benefit.
Alice herself practices martial arts, where a major focus is on the art of falling which in Japanese is known as Ukemi. Alice’s studies at Z-Health University into applied neuroscience provide her with opportunities to match this scientific knowledge with her understanding of martial arts techniques. In addition, Alice’s twenty years of psychotherapy practise enable her to expertly guide people to have less fear of falling. All of these skills and experience together make Alice well-placed to deliver this meaningful programme full of chances for positive change in our everyday life.
THE PROGRAMME IS SET OUT IN THREE PARTS
Fall prevention, fall practise and post-fall strategies
The programme is set out in three parts: fall prevention, fall practise and post-fall strategies.
01
Fall Prevention
In this section we review the current evidence on the most important factors in falls and explore the latest up to date information on how to minimise the risk of falling. Together we will assess and identify our own problem areas we can work on such as gait, sensory and vestibular systems, balance, strength of specific muscle groups, mobility and motor control, breathing and cognition. We will explore drills for each area and everyone will leave with a set of exercises to work on for their own personalised fall prevention strategy.
02
Fall Practice
In this section no real falling is involved but we will explore the techniques shown in research to be most effective at dissipating forces and preventing injury. We will also acquire a set of skills to make falling less dangerous through practical exercises on how to fall with less impact and work on practising these skills so they become our automatic response in the moment of a fall. We will leave knowing what to practice in order to be confident that after an extensive repetition of these exercises we will know what to do when we do fall.
03
Post-fall Strategies
What we learn in this section can literally make the difference between life and death. We will look at what to do after we fall and tactics for managing the situation we find ourselves in and how best to move out of it to avoid something called the ‘long-lie’. The long-lie is typically defined as being unable to get up and so lying on the floor for over one hour. Even without a direct injury from the fall, studies have found that those who lie on the floor for more than one hour go on to experience serious life limiting impacts.
ALICE’S APPROACH
There are many factors that can make us fall such as slippery surfaces, tripping over things, pets, insufficient light, new environments, fatigue etc. The list could go on for a long time. If we want to lead meaningful lives we cannot always avoid all these factors so instead Alice’s approach is to build up our resilience by improving sensory inputs, muscle strength and to teach us a set of tools to make falling less scary and less dangerous. After a fall, the fear of falling again remains the number one risk factor on future falls so this programme helps us to reduce our fear of falling. Falls can have serious and debilitating consequences for all ages, but there is a lot we can do to minimise the risks and impacts.
SERIES · FULL DAY · TAILOR-MADE
Series of morning workshops, a full day workshop or a tailor-made format
Alice offers this programme either as a series of morning workshops, a full day workshop or in a tailor-made format for your group’s specific setting and needs.
01
Series of morning workshops
For over three years now, Loch Broom Neuro Yoga has been running this programme for its community of students in a series of morning workshops throughout the year. If you would like to take part as an individual, please join Loch Broom Neuro Yoga’s newsletter where you will get detailed updates on when and how to take part or you can contact Alice directly.
02
A full day workshop
Alice also offers this programme to a wider community in the form of a full day workshop.
03
Tailor-made format
If you are a community group leader or a manager of an organisation and would like to arrange for this programme to be taught in your community or to your employees or clients, please, get in touch with Alice to discuss how to make the programme tailored to your group’s specific needs.
Testimonials
When I first went to Alice’s class, I had difficulty getting on to the floor and up again. Now I can do it with ease. Her workshops also stop me being so anxious about falling.
Irene
Learning how to help yourself before the event or to even avoid the fall in the first place is very empowering.
Alice teaches what appear to be very simple techniques however they have a huge impact on how your body/brain interacts with its surrounding and making it feel safe.
Trust the Alice process although at times it feels mad 🙂 She knows what she’s doing!
Preparing the body means preparing the brain means keeping you safe. Do it, it’s also fun and you learn a lot about yourself!
Lorraine
I have attended several of Alice’s fall workshops, and as I am now in my 70’s I have become increasingly mindful of falling over. A few months ago, I slipped and fell on top of a wood burning stove, and was able to react quickly enough to correct my fall without incurring a serious spinal injury. Anyone over 60 needs to know how to fall over correctly, and with confidence – these workshops cost pennies and save lives.
Trixie
“I’ve attended 2 of Alice’s recent Fall Prevention Workshops. As a late seventies woman in not particularly brilliant health I need to do all I can to avoid falls, or at least to land “softly” if I do tumble over.
In these two sessions, I learnt an awful lot about my balance that I never understood before, about the different ways we trip, stumble and land on the ground and some very useful techniques for mitigating the harm a sudden impact with the ground can do my body.
I don’t hesitate to recommend these fall prevention sessions to anyone like myself who’s afraid of falling over!”
Rosemary
I only managed one of Alice’s fall workshops, but got some useful information. One of them is how a position your arms while falling, to prevent the full body weight going only through one single joint like the wrist for example. A few bruises on your torso are preferable to broken wrist or shoulders.
Sheila
Falls are almost inevitable at any time of our lives. The workshop gave us strategies to minimise the damage of a fall. I hope that with repetition these will become my automatic reaction next time when I don’t have time to think as I clatter to the ground.
Audrey
THE FALL WELL PROGRAMME
This programme not only helps us learn how to fall more safely to prevent serious injuries, it also enhances our overall well-being, strength, mobility and cognitive function.
To enquire contact Alice …