Project Description

Course Overview

Our Falls Prevention Training with the GERT Simulation Suit is a powerful blend of evidence-based theory and immersive practical learning.

Designed for healthcare staff, support workers, and therapists, this course goes beyond clinical protocols—it brings the lived experience of ageing to life.

Participants will walk away not only with the skills to identify and manage fall risks but also with a renewed sense of empathy, understanding, and motivation to improve outcomes for patients.

The GERT suit transforms theory into reality, allowing learners to feel first-hand the impact of limited mobility, impaired vision, and joint stiffness. It’s an unforgettable experience that changes how people approach care forever.

Equip your team with the tools—and the insight—to prevent falls, promote independence, and deliver safer, more compassionate care.

This immersive training aims to:

  • Equip healthcare professionals with a deep understanding of the physical, psychological, and environmental factors that contribute to falls in older adults.

  • Enhance empathy and awareness by using the GERT Age Simulation Suit to replicate the ageing experience.

  • Promote the implementation of evidence-based interventions that prevent falls and improve safety in hospitals, care homes, and community settings.

  • Improve communication and engagement with patients and their families around falls prevention strategies and post-fall care

Learning Objectives

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

Theory-Based Objectives

  • Describe the latest NICE guidance (NG249) and its application in falls risk management.

  • Identify individuals most at risk of falls, including those aged 65+ and patients aged 50–64 with predisposing conditions.

  • Outline the components of a comprehensive falls assessment, including gait, blood pressure, fear of falling, and footwear.

  • Recognise and implement key interventions such as:

    • Medication review and reporting

    • Use of Vitamin D and diet in falls prevention

    • Encouragement of physical activity and exercise

  • Promote sustained participation in falls prevention interventions through patient-centred communication and motivational strategies.

  • Educate patients and families on:

    • How to reduce the risk of falls

    • How to respond after a fall

    • Hospital safety tools (call bells, bed controls)

    • Discharge planning and home safety measures

Practical Objectives (GERT Suit Experience)

  • Understand how physical limitations caused by ageing affect mobility, balance, and independence.

  • Practise correct techniques for:

    • Assisting someone from the floor using a chair

    • Using slide sheets and extension straps in confined spaces

    • Performing floor-based hoisting using Mangar ELK and Raizer Chair

    • Supporting assisted walking and using appropriate walking aids