What to do will depend upon the circumstances:
Don't panic: You will probably feel a little shocked and shaken, but
try to stay calm.
Assess the situation: If you are hurt or feel unable to get up, follow
the Rest and Wait Plan (see below). If you are unhurt, and know you are able to get up, follow the Up
and About Plan (see below).
See your GP: all falls are potentially serious and you should see your
GP afterwards.
The Rest and Wait Plan
- If you are hurt or unable to get up, wait for help
- Try
to summon help: use a pendant alarm if you have one, bang on the wall, call out for help, crawl towards
your telephone, (keep it at a low level)
- Move to a soft surface:
if you have fallen on a hard floor, try to move to a carpeted area
- Keep
warm: try to reach for something to cover yourself with. Try to move out of draughts.
- Keep
moving: do not lie in one position for too long, as you may get cold and suffer from pressure sores.
Roll from side to side and move arms and legs if possible. If you need to empty your bladder while on
the floor, use a newspaper or item of clothing to soak up the wet, and try to move from the wet area.
The
Up and About Plan
- Before you attempt to get up, make sure that you are not hurt.
The method below is one safe way to get up from a fall but there are others. We strongly recommend that
you ask for an assessment from a physiotherapist who can advise you on the most appropriate way to get
up.
- Roll onto hands and knees and crawl to a stable piece of furniture
such as a bed, stool or chair.
- With hands on the support, place
one foot flat on the floor, bending your knee in front of your tummy
- Lean
forwards, push on your feet and hands until you bring the other foot to be beside the first
- Turn
and sit on the seat. Rest for a while before getting up.