Tallaght University Hospital are launching their first podcast series, entitled ‘Let’s Talk about Safer Mobility’ to coincide with the Hospitals Zero Harm Safer Mobility Week.
The six part podcast series produced with the support of the Adelaide Health Foundation looks at safer mobility and the various things that can affect our mobility as we age.
The podcast series, the first for the busy teaching hospital, is targeted at the older members of our community and their carers, whether that is inside or outside of a home setting.
The Hospital will upload one episode each week on the Hospitals’ YouTube Channel, iTunes, Podbean and the TUH Hospital website.
Commenting on the series, podcast host Dr. Paul McElwaine, Consultant Geriatrician said “With COVID restrictions still impacting outreach to our community and the ability to do health talks we hope this podcast series on Safer Mobility will provide some useful and helpful advice to people on safer mobility. I am very grateful to the Adelaide Health Foundation, the Centre for Learning & Development, TUH Communications Dept and my colleagues from across various medical services in the Hospital for the support they have provided in making this series. It was a very new experience for all of us but one we enjoyed which I know will be of benefit to our patients, their carers and the wider community.”
“The Adelaide Health Foundation were thrilled to support this initiative which is an extremely practical implementation of the Hospital vision of people caring for people to live better lives. The series is focussed on the patient and those that care for them in or outside of the home and how to care for their mobility and keep them active. The commitment and enthusiasm from the multidisciplinary team in creating this series on top of what are already very busy schedules should be acknowledged,” said Niamh Gavin, Chief Executive of the Adelaide Health Foundation.
Episode # 1 covers safer mobility and falls. Falls are a significant worry for older people, one in three people over the age of 65 will have a fall each year, and the risk increases as we age. In this episode host Dr. Paul McElwaine, Consultant Geriatrician, Senior Physiotherapist Gillian Harte and Eimear Digan, Senior Dietitian talk about strength and balance and how they affect mobility. They also address how problems with strength and balance can lead to falls and the important role of what we eat and drink plays in keeping our muscles healthy.
Episode #2 looks at vision, hearing and how they can affect a person’s mobility along with very practical measures that can be taken in a house to make it safer and prevent accidents from happening. Joining Dr. McElwaine in this episode are Ciara Norton, Senior Occupational Therapist and Gillian Harte, Senior Physiotherapist.
Episode #3 Dr. Helena Dolphin, Senior Registrar and Christine McAuliffe Clinical Pharmacist join Dr. Paul McElwaine, Consultant Geriatrician on the topic of polypharmacy and the role it can play in falls, including what should be watched out for if a person is taking more than five medications a day.
Episode #4 This episode covers Bone Health and Nutrition with Prof Tara Coughlan, Consultant Geriatrician and Eimear Digan, Senior Dietitian discussing with podcast host Dr. Paul McElwaine, Consultant Geriatrician the importance of maintaining healthy bones, conditions that can lead to unhealthy bones and nutrition advice on how to keep our bones healthy.
Episode #5 In this penultimate episode of the Let’s Talk about Safer Mobility series Louise Kelly, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Victoria Doyle, Clinical Nurse Manager in Nursing Continence Care discuss with podcast host Dr. Paul McElwaine two very common problems, low blood pressure and continence difficulties – and how they can lead to falls.
Episode #6 In this final episode of the six part Let’s Talk about Safer Mobility Ciara Norton, Senior Occupational Therapist and Dr. Conor Clancy, Medical Registrar discuss with podcast host Dr. Paul McElwaine, Consultant Geriatrician, the subject of brain health and how it can impact a person’s mobility. They discuss some very practical advice on how you can help someone that has a fear of falling and most importantly the importance of maintaining mobility.