Noting that falls are a leading cause of hospital admissions in that age group, the plan will include expanded podiatry services and footcare, as well as increase the promotion of other best practices that could improve mobility.
Another feature of the Older People's Prevention Package is an increased focus on vision tests and flu shots which may be a growing concern for some elderly Britons with media attention over the H1N1 virus.
"This prevention package is about raising the expectations of older people about what their local services can do to help prevent unnecessary loss of mobility and independence," said Dr Finbarr Martin, acting national clinical director for older people.
"For the NHS, this means making sure that effective services are commissioned and reliably provided for common problems like falls, fractures and loss of hearing."
Advocacy groups for older persons like Age Concern say that the new program represents progress, though they are waiting to see how many patients take advantage of the service.
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