Falls advice

If you do fall:

Call for help

• Use your pendant alarm, if you have one

• Shout for help

• Bang on the wall, you can use a shoe or other object

• Crawl to a telephone

Keep warm

• Reach for something to cover yourself

• Try to move out of draughts

• Move away from direct heat, eg. fires and radiators

Keep moving

• Roll from side to side if possible

• Move arms and legs if you can

• Avoid staying in one position, you may get cold and suffer from pressure sores

Move to a soft surface

• If you fall on a hard floor try to move to a carpeted area

Keep as comfortable as possible

• If you need to empty your bladder, use a newspaper or item of clothing to soak up the wet and try to move away from the wet area

Preventing falls

Avoid:

• Bad footwear such as old slippers, high heels, worn out shoes

• Clothes that may trip you up, such as a long nightdresses 

• Leaving objects on stairs or in walkways, including trailing flexes and cables 

• Poor lighting – keep a torch by the bed 

• Worn carpets and loose rugs – tape down edges or remove rugs completely 

• Avoid climbing stairs if you don’t feel safe on them

Make sure you:

• Take regular exercise to remain supple and to keep muscles strong

• Get up from chairs and your bed slowly 

• Don’t rush to answer the telephone or door – inform people you may take longer, have the phone near your chair, install another phone upstairs 

• Have regular eye tests 

• Minimise bending or climbing never climb on chairs or tables – keep regularly used items at an easy level to reach 

• Consult your doctor if you find that any prescribed medicine is making you dizzy – but don’t stop taking the medicine before consulting your doctor 

• Ask for an assessment from an Occupational Therapist who can advise on safety around the home.