{"id":7852,"date":"2026-10-05T21:41:36","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T21:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visiting-angels.co.uk\/cheshire-east\/?p=7852"},"modified":"2026-10-05T21:50:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T21:50:58","slug":"fear-of-falling-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visiting-angels.co.uk\/cheshire-east\/fear-of-falling-confidence\/","title":{"rendered":"Scared of falling again? Rebuilding confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Quick summary<\/b><\/h3>

One fall is often enough to stop someone leaving the house, not because they cannot but because they are frightened to. Fear of falling is recognised, common and treatable. Doing less makes legs weaker, which makes another fall more likely, so the fear becomes partly justified. Breaking that loop is often the work.<\/span><\/p>

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This is a recognised condition, not a character flaw<\/b><\/h3>

It has been studied for decades and it has a literature of its own.<\/span><\/p>

Reported prevalence varies from around 20 per cent to over 80 per cent depending on the population studied, and it is consistently higher in people who have already fallen (<\/span>Scheffer and colleagues, Age and Ageing, 2008<\/span><\/a>). It is associated with reduced activity, avoidance of things people used to do, low mood, less social contact and lower quality of life.<\/span><\/p>

People often feel embarrassed about it, which is part of why it goes unmentioned at appointments. It is worth saying out loud precisely because there is something that can be done.<\/span><\/p>

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The loop<\/b><\/h3>

Understanding the mechanism makes the solution obvious.<\/span><\/p>

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  1. A fall happens.<\/b> Frightening, possibly painful, possibly involving a long wait on the floor.<\/span><\/li>
  2. Confidence drops.<\/b> Reasonably. The world now contains a known risk.<\/span><\/li>
  3. Activity drops.<\/b> Fewer walks, fewer outings, more sitting.<\/span><\/li>
  4. Muscles weaken and balance deteriorates.<\/b> This happens faster in older adults than most people expect.<\/span><\/li>
  5. The risk of falling genuinely rises.<\/b><\/li>
  6. The fear is confirmed<\/b>, and the loop tightens.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>

    The fear turns out to be partly right, which is what makes it so hard to argue someone out of.<\/b> You cannot reassure your way out of a loop that is producing real evidence. You can only interrupt it at step three or four.<\/span><\/p>

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    What actually helps<\/b><\/h3>

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    1. Strength and balance exercise, done properly.<\/b> It works on two things at once: the legs get stronger, and doing something difficult and succeeding rebuilds confidence directly. Exercise reduces the rate of falls by around 23 per cent (<\/span>Cochrane, 2019<\/span><\/a>). Locally, Stand Strong in Cheshire East on 0300 123 5026 is free and runs for 26 weeks.<\/span><\/li>
    2. Talking therapy, if exercise alone does not shift it.<\/b> This is the part most people do not know exists. NICE recommends considering cognitive behavioural interventions for people whose concerns about falling are not helped by strength and balance exercises (<\/span>NICE NG249, April 2025<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>
    3. Learning to get up off the floor.<\/b> A large part of the fear is not the fall itself but lying there unable to move. Knowing you can get up changes that, and it is a trainable skill that physiotherapists teach.<\/span><\/li>
    4. Dealing with the actual risk.<\/b> Fear is easier to reduce when the risk has genuinely been reduced. A medication review, a lying and standing blood pressure check, an eye test and an occupational therapy assessment all make the reassurance honest. Our guide to <\/span>what to look for at home<\/span><\/a> covers some of the same ground.<\/span><\/li>
    5. Graded return, not a leap.<\/b> Small, achievable steps that build. The garden before the street, the street before the shop.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>

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      A realistic four-week plan<\/b><\/h3>

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      Week<\/b><\/p><\/th>

      Goal<\/b><\/p><\/th>

      Why<\/b><\/p><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>

      1<\/b><\/p><\/td>

      Walk to the end of the garden and back, daily, with someone there<\/span><\/p><\/td>

      Something achievable today. Success matters more than distance<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

      2<\/b><\/p><\/td>

      To the gate and a short way along the pavement. Start the exercises from the falls service<\/span><\/p><\/td>

      Adds unfamiliar ground while support is still present<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

      3<\/b><\/p><\/td>

      To the postbox or a neighbour’s, alone if that feels manageable<\/span><\/p><\/td>

      First time without a companion, on a known route<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

      4<\/b><\/p><\/td>

      One outing that matters: the shop, the church, the group<\/span><\/p><\/td>

      A destination with people at the end, which is what makes it repeat<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

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      If a week is too hard, repeat it rather than pushing on. If it is easy, hold the pace anyway. The aim is a run of successes, not a fast return.<\/span><\/p>

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      What families get wrong<\/b><\/h3>

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