Having a fall can be a real shock to the system. What you do next really matters. In this article, we’ll look at:
• What to do immediately after a fall
• The support options available after a fall
• What happens if you are hospitalised for a fall.
What to do immediately after a fall
If you have a fall, try to stay calm. It’s better to stop and take a moment to let the initial shock abate and to calmly assess the situation.
Are you hurt?
It can take a few minutes for you to feel pain associated with any injuries you might have sustained. Check your body for obvious signs of injury.
Are you able to get up?
If you’re not hurt, you can carefully try to get up from the floor. Be mindful of any dizziness and take your time.
- Roll onto your side
- Push yourself up so you’re sitting on your side
- Slowly get onto your hands and knees
If you’re not near a sturdy piece of furniture, like a couch, crawl over to one - Use the couch to support yourself while you kneel, slide one leg forward so your foot is flat against the floor
- Lean onto the couch, turn and push using your hands to lift your bum onto the couch
- Sit for a while and check for injuries again before you do anything.
If you cannot get up, use your pendant alarm (if you have one) to call for help. If you do not have an alarm, Brightwater Senior Occupational Therapist Suzanne Kerr said to try to keep warm (move onto a rug or carpet, grab a blanket, and move away from drafts if you can) and keep your body moving as best you can until help arrives.
It’s important to get help as soon as possible and keep warm whilst awaiting help as a long lie on the floor can lead to Rhabdomyolysis i.e. muscle and tissue damage, pressure injuries and hypothermia
If you are injured, do not try to get up. If you can, use your alarm or the phone or your smart speaker, to call for assistance. If you don’t have a device available, then try calling out or banging on a wall, to attempt to get a neighbour’s attention.
Once help arrives, it is important to seek medical treatment for your injuries.
The support available after a fall
Suzanne said that after a client has a fall, the Brightwater team springs into action to provide specialist support. If a client has injuries from a fall, a nurse will attend to look after the wounds during recovery.
But a really important part of the team’s work is identifying what caused the fall in the first place.
Suzanne said. “If we know the reasons for the fall and what led up to the fall, we can initiate strategies to assist” For example, address environmental issues, provide appropriate equipment, involve appropriate Allied Health disciplines (Physio, Dietetics, Podiatry and Nursing and advise the client to seek medical evaluation.
Brightwater Senior Physiotherapist Claire Myhill said physiotherapy was an important part of the recovery process.
“We always try to encourage people to get referral to a specialist falls outpatient clinic at their nearest hospital. This allows clients to access a full team assessment and appropriate recommendations, and they can access exercise options in a different setting to the home,” she said.
Individual and group physiotherapy with a Brightwater physiotherapist is an option for all clients and would be recommended after any fall. Brightwater’s Instinct program helps people who’ve experienced a fall improve their muscle strength and balance. It also provides comprehensive education and health professional input around all aspects of falls prevention and health.
“People really enjoy it and want to keep coming, so now we even have an advanced group, where we have lots of exciting, fun and challenging exercises” she said. “People love the social aspect of the group, so they come for that, as well.”
What happens after being hospitalised for a fall?
Sometimes a fall is serious enough to mean a long stay in hospital.
According to the WA Department of Health’s 2023 WA Falls Report [1], people aged 85 years or older can expect to spend 9.1 days in the hospital after a fall, compared to an average 7.1 days for those under age 85. Claire encouraged those who have had a fall or at risk of having a fall to get a referral to a geriatrician for a full review of their medications and health care.
Some hospitals have home rehabilitation programs that involve physiotherapy, exercises and other recovery and future falls prevention initiatives. At times this is not available– and Claire said that’s when Brightwater can really help.
Brightwater at Home’s Transitional Community Care (TCC) program is subsidised by the State and Federal governments and gives short-term support to older people so they can continue their recovery after leaving hospital, in their own home.
“We start with an individual home care program – that’s 12-weeks of intensive rehab – and then we would hope to progress them into a group if they are ready for that,” Claire said. “Clients are also encouraged to investigate other appropriate support programs available in their community.”
“The team, including occupational therapists will come and visit clients to look at falls’ prevention in the home environment. Sometimes it’s as simple as just putting in a rail or a non-slip mat in the shower – it can be simple, inexpensive and easy options that help make the environment safer.”
[1] Injury Matters: Sweeney, R., Menezes, S. and Meade, R. (2023). 2023 Western Australian Falls Report. Perth, Western Australia: Injury Matters.
