What to do if you’ve had a fall

Falling can be a scary experience. It’s important to know what to do if you have a fall so that you can help yourself as best you can.

Things to remember if you have a fall

• Try to stay calm enough to assess your situation.
• Check yourself for injuries, such as cuts, bruises, and sprains.
• If you feel dizzy or weak, stay down until you feel better.
• If you have a personal medical alarm with you, use it to get help.
• Decide if it’s safe with your strength and surroundings to try and get up.

If you can get up

• Use something sturdy, such as a chair or table, to support yourself.
• Rest for a while and drink some water. Don’t eat anything or drink more than water if you have a head injury or feel nauseous.

If you can’t get up

• Try to get to the phone or call out in a loud voice to attract attention.
• Try to crawl to a place where someone can see or hear you.
• Make yourself as comfortable as possible until help arrives. Cover yourself with something that can keep you warm if it’s available.
• Move your arms and legs gently if you can, to help with blood circulation.

If you have any symptoms that worry you, call 111 immediately. Remember to tell your doctor about the fall, even if you were not injured. Make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible if you think you may have a concussion.

About concussion

Be better prepared for a fall

Making sure you can get help faster

• Get a personal alarm. It’s a device you can wear or carry with you and has a button you can press to call for help in an emergency. It sends an alert to trained operators who can talk to you and contact your family, whānau, friends, or emergency services. Having a personal alarm can give you peace of mind and security if you live alone or have a medical condition that may increase your risk of falling.
• Keep your telephone within easy reach, even from the floor.
• Make sure you have friends, family, and emergency numbers pre-loaded on your phone.
• Leave a spare key in a secure place outside, or with someone you trust – so they can let themselves in if needed.
• Discuss your plans with friends, family, whānau, or neighbours. It helps if they know where you are if you call them in an emergency.

Practice and build your strength and balance

• Regularly practice getting up from the ground, including:
  • rolling to your side
  • pushing into a seated position
  • shifting to hands and knees
  • stepping one foot forward
  • then standing up.
• Do regular strength and balance exercises. Research shows that improving your leg strength and balance can reduce your risk of falling by 29%.

Staying active

Find a Strength and Balance class 

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