SINGAPORE - Retired school teacher Lily Chua, 57, developed a fear of falling after a freak accident that crushed her ankle in November 2020.

“I was helping my colleague shut the school gate after the end of the day when it slipped and crushed my ankle, almost severing it,” she said.

After spending six months learning to walk properly, Madam Chua decided to concentrate on regaining her fitness and confidence. That was when she came across Rolling Good Times, a programme that teaches seniors how to minimise the risk of injuries and fractures should they trip and fall.

The need for such programmes is growing as Singapore ages rapidly, and frailty – reduced function and health in older persons – is set to rise from 5 to 6 per cent now to 27 per cent in 2030.

As people age, they become more susceptible to falls that severely reduce their quality of life.

About one in three persons aged 65 years and above, and one in two aged 80 years and older, living in the community will have at least one fall a year.

Falls among the elderly account for 40 per cent of injury-related deaths.

On Monday mornings now, Madam Chua practises rolling on the ground under the watchful eyes of trainers Kevin Wong, 47, and Helmy Osman, 49.

Launched in 2018 by the Health Promotion Board for people aged 50 and above, Rolling Good Times comprises group exercises conducted by different trainers to build muscle strength, balance and flexibility, as well as basic rolling techniques to minimise the risk of injuries in case of a fall.

Classes have been held for 330 participants since they resumed with the relaxation of Covid-19 rules, said Mr Wong.

Despite the statistics, it is not normal to fall just because one ages, said senior consultant Alexis Ang from Changi General Hospital’s department of geriatric medicine. As falls are a major cause of increased need for care, it is vital to prevent them in order to remain healthy and independent, she added.

But doctors and therapists say dealing with a fall that has already happened is more important than preventing falls, as this helps reduce risks like fractures and head traumas.

Orthopaedic surgeon Tan Ken Jin said: “We have mainly concentrated on prevention by rehabilitative exercises and environmental modifications. Falls are not 100 per cent preventable. Protection would be a very important way to prevent injuries and this is an area we have probably neglected.”

A 2020 study led by Dr Ang found that many seniors do not report their falls or seek medical help unless they are injured, brushing it off as part of the ageing process instead.

Yet, those who have experienced falls or near-falls can develop a fear of falling, which can be debilitating as it may cause anxiety, self-imposed activity restriction and other negative effects on well-being, said Dr Ang.

Neurological and musculoskeletal physiotherapist at Moving Space Michelle Koh said learning how to land and roll on the ground thus gives seniors confidence to trust their body to have the necessary neuromuscular response to react in a fall and decrease the risk of injuries from an awkward landing.

She said that for many seniors, the floor has become a foreign space due to reasons such as their being unable to get down to the floor, or get back to their feet once they are there, which increases their fear of falling.

It is no wonder, then, that when Madam Chua needed to roll onto the ground for the first time after attending three sessions at Rolling Good Times, her fear of falling came rushing back.

“The memory of my aunt, who took two years to recover from a fall while mopping the floor, took over and my confidence went away,” she said. “I have never been on the floor for a long time. It was only at the 10th lesson that, with the help of the trainers, I was able to finally roll.”

Madam Chua said she would like to see the programme expanded to more venues.

“With the fast-ageing population here, such lessons are useful and should be held at every community club to help prevent falls that result in serious injuries and long-term stays in hospitals,” she said.

5 Tips to fall safely

• Protect your head by tucking your chin down and lowering your head.
• Turn your body to land on the side to reduce serious injury from height.
• Keep arms and legs bent, so they will not absorb the full force of the landing.
• Do not tense up as this may break the parts of the body that are taut.
• Roll out the impact instead of letting your body absorb the contact of the fall.