PolyU launches elderly fall-prevention programme

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has introduced a fall prevention programme aimed at reducing the risk of accidents and improving the lives of the elderly. Over the next 45 months, the initiative, called Jockey Club SafeMove, will enrol approximately 17,000 individuals aged 60 and above. At the programme's unveiling, Marco Pang, PolyU's Chair Professor of Neurorehabilitation and head of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, explained that participants will be taught self-protection and safe landing methods to mitigate the impact of falls.

He emphasized that prevention involves more than just avoiding falls; it also entails learning how to effectively manage one's body during a fall. Pang noted that around 16 percent of older Hong Kong residents experience a fall annually, with about a third resulting in bone fractures, most commonly hip fractures. Amy Fu, PolyU's Associate Head and Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences, stressed the importance of teaching seniors how to fall properly and react swiftly, as this could lower the likelihood of fractures by 72 percent.

Proper body-turning and muscle strength, particularly in the upper limbs, are crucial for this process. Fu also mentioned that the programme will incorporate judo techniques to enable participants to respond promptly to any falls.