What To Do After A Fall And How To Call For Help

If your loved one is at risk of falls, you will most likely have already put measures in place to reduce the risk of them falling, like the measures listed in our article here. However, it’s not always possible to completely prevent falls, especially if there are times when you can’t be with your loved one.

So, what should your loved one do if they have a fall and how can they call for help? And, more importantly, what if your loved one has a fall and can’t call for help?

 

How to get up after a fall

If your loved one has a fall, the first thing they should do is try to remain as calm as possible. They should remain where they are for a minute or two and assess the situation, as pain from any injuries may not appear straight away.

Once they have recovered from the shock of the fall, it’s then important that they assess themselves to see whether they do have any pain or visible injuries. If they do have injuries, they don’t want to make them worse, but if they don’t then it may be possible for them to safely get back up.

If your loved one is uninjured and is not experiencing dizziness, there are a couple of things they can do to get safely get themselves back on their feet. Share these steps with your loved one:

• Slowly roll onto your side.
• Continuing slowly, push yourself into a crawling position with your hands and knees on the floor.
• Take a rest at this point, if you need to.
• Crawl slowly to the nearest sturdy chair.
• Place your hands on the chair to support yourself.
• Bring your strongest leg up slowly to a 90-degree angle, so that your foot is flat on the ground and your other leg is still in the kneeling position.
• Use both arms and legs to push yourself up into a standing position, keeping your hands on the chair to steady yourself.
• Slowly turn yourself around, so that you are able to sit on the chair.
• Remain here for a few minutes to catch your breath before calling for help.

Once your loved one is calm and able to, they can then call for help. It’s always best to get checked out after a fall, even if they don’t appear to be injured, and to identify the cause of the fall.

This will allow you and, if necessary, your loved one’s healthcare professional to put further measures in place to reduce the likelihood of another fall.

But what if your loved one is injured? How do they help themselves or call for help?

• Shout and bang on the walls, furniture or anything nearby. This can help to attract the attention of neighbours or passers-by who may be able to provide assistance or call for emergency help.
• Use the phone. This will only be possible if the phone is within reaching distance of where your loved one has fallen. If not, it could be dangerous for them to try and access it, especially if they are injured.
• Use a smart speaker. Consider a smart speaker for your loved one’s home, so that they can use their voice to trigger a phone call to you or other emergency help.

 

What if your loved one is unable to call for help?

There may, unfortunately, be a time when your loved one is unable to call for help.

This may be because they have sustained an injury that means they aren’t able to grab their phone or make noise to call for help, or because the fall has been more serious, and they have become unconscious.

You can ensure your loved one is protected if a situation like this does arise.

With a personal alarm, which is worn around your loved one’s wrist or neck, they can easily press the button as soon as they have a fall or indeed in any other situation in which they require assistance.

This will send an alert to an emergency contact or to an alarm response centre, who will then be able to take the appropriate action to assist your loved one.

For extra peace of mind, you could consider a fall detector, which is also worn around the neck or wrist, but automatically detects falls. As soon as your loved one has a fall, it will send an alert just like the personal alarm.

 

Help keep your loved one safe after a fall

The risk of falling will increase after your loved one has a fall, which means you will want to speak to their GP and put additional preventative measures in place.

This is so that you can identify the cause of their fall and reduce the risk of it happening again for the same reason. For example, they may have recently been prescribed new medication that has caused them to become unsteady on their feet, or perhaps their eyesight has deteriorated.

Work together to find the safest solution to reduce the risk of your loved one experiencing another fall.

You may still want to give both you and them the peace of mind that help will immediately be available if they have another fall. So, why not also take a look at these solutions to help keep your loved one safe at home and even when they are out and about.