A 91-year-old Ashton-under-Lyne resident has shared how the support of Tameside Council’s Reablement Team helped her regain independence and confidence after a serious fall left her in hospital for nearly nine weeks.
Sonia Jones, from Ashton-Under-Lyne, was admitted to hospital after a bad fall. Now, as part of Fall Prevention Week 2025, Sonia’s story shines a light on the importance of reablement services in helping older people stay safe, well, and independent in their own homes.
Sonia has lived in her home since 1958, and say’s ‘it’s not somewhere I want to leave anytime soon’.
This Fall Prevention Week (22-26 September 2025) Tameside Council are highlighting Sonia who was supported by their Reablement Service to re-gain her confidence and continue to live independently in her own home.
After discharge, Tameside’s Council’s Reablement Team worked closely with her to re-gain confidence and provide the right equipment to prevent any future falls. This included a walking frame with a tray, so she can safely move around the house and carry things from room to room. An outdoor walker has helped her to get back to her daily visits to the local shop and get back on track with her weekly hairdresser appointments.
Sonia started with visits four times a day from Reablement support workers, reducing to one call a day by the end of their support. But by the time longer term support was planned, she only needed one visit a week from her chosen care agency.
Tameside’s Community Response Service are also on hand via a fall pendent connected to their control room at Dukinfield Town Hall, at the press of a button they are on hand with support.
Sonia said: ‘’Everyone in my family has always been fiercely independent. After my fall, I was taken into hospital and I thought I’d only be in a few days, but I was in for 2 days short of 9 weeks. I lost so much confidence.
‘’But with support from Reablement I’ve been able to stay in the place I’ve called home since 1958. I’m back to my daily routines and have peace of mind that we have worked together to prevent another fall.’’
Executive Member for Adult Social Care Cllr John Taylor said: ‘’It’s heartwarming to hear Sonia’s story, she is an incredible lady who has worked closely with our Reablement Service to make sure she can continue to live safely and well in her own home.
‘’Thank you to our Reablement service for their dedication to working closely with Sonia to get her back on her feet and putting the right support in place to prevent another fall.’’
You can listen to Sonia talk about her own experience at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ds1BaI61JUo
Find out more about our Reablement Service and how they support people to re-gain skills and confidence after an illness or period in hospital https://www.tameside.gov.uk/adults/reablement
Find out more about Tameside’s Community Response Service at https://www.tameside.gov.uk/CRS