Funding
The funding, £117,086 for 2023/24 and £261,027 for 2023/24, will allow for the further roll out of The University of Manchester’s Keep On Keep Up (KOKU) falls prevention app. Co-created with older people, the app is designed to help improve strength, balance and optimise healthy ageing. It will support residents to take control and reduce their risk of falls. The app promotes access to and engagement with personalised and progressive strength and balance exercises. These exercises are proven to effectively improve function and reduce falls, based on clinically proven routines. This type of training is traditionally delivered face to face in community centres. This can be costly, inaccessible for some older people and there is currently a shortage of qualified professionals.
KOKU also incorporates health literacy games. The games raise awareness of how to improve bone health, nutrition and hydration, as well as enhancing safety in the home. So far, 500 people have benefited from the app – this is expected to increase to 1200 over the next 18 months. Importantly increasing usage of the app will allow us to fully evaluate the overall impact of older people using the app. Key partners in the work included NHS GM, Health Innovation Manchester, Local Authorities, Care Providers and the University of Manchester.
The work builds on the Adult Social Care Digital Technology Funded work. This work has involved the GM scale up of the Keep On Keep Up (KOKU) Digital program to 500 users. As well as the development of a bespoke data dashboard for the reporting of falls and associated injuries data and progress analytics. Key partners in the work included NHS GM, Health Innovation Manchester, Local Authorities, Care Providers and the University of Manchester.
Falls Prevention
Falls prevention is a key priority for Greater Manchester. Reducing the risk of falls makes serious injury and hospital admission far less likely. The benefits being a lower personal cost for the individual in terms of independence and wellbeing. But, also lessening the demand and financial burden placed on health and social care services.
