My falls

Always speak your GP, physiotherapist or occupational therapist, if you have had 2 or more falls in the last year – even if you are unhurt. If you have had 2 or more falls you may be at risk of falling again if you don’t take steps to reduce your risk of falls.

There’s a lot you can do yourself, or with your family or carer, to reduce your risk of falls. However, the reasons people fall can be complex and sometimes you’ll need the support of others.

The support you’re given will help to reduce your risk of further falls and injuries, and help you to continue to carry out activities that are important to you.

For more information about falls and how to avoid them visit NHS inform.

If you do feel dizzy or lightheaded for whatever reason, if you have ever experienced a blackout or lost consciousness or if you had palpitations before your fall, it is important that you speak to your GP. It may be something simple which can easily be addressed.

Dizziness, blackouts or palpitations are often a reason for people falling. They can be caused by:

• a drop in blood pressure when you stand up too quickly
• missing a meal or not drinking enough water
• the side effects of medication
• being unwell
• problems with your heart rate or rhythm
• inner ear problems

If you feel dizzy/lightheaded when you get up from a chair or bed, try moving your legs in a slow marching action before standing up. Remember to take your time to stand up and try not to rush up to answer the phone or doorbell or go to the toilet.

For more information about what causes falls, visit the NHS inform causes of falls section.

If you do feel dizzy of lightheaded for whatever reason, or if you have ever experienced a blackout or lost consciousness, it is important that you speak to your GP. It may be something simple which can easily be addressed.

Dizziness, blackouts or palpitations are often a reason for people falling. They can be caused by:

• a drop in blood pressure when you stand up too quickly
• missing a meal or not drinking enough water
• the side effects of medication
• being unwell
• problems with your heart rate or rhythm
• inner ear problems

If you feel dizzy/lightheaded when you get up from a chair or bed, try moving your legs in a slow marching action before standing up. Remember to take your time to stand up and try not to rush up to answer the phone or doorbell or go to the toilet.

For more information about what causes falls, visit the NHS inform causes of falls section.

Why is this important?

You should tell your GP if you have a fall or start feeling unsteady, even if you feel fine otherwise. There could be many reasons and, equally, many different ways to help you feel confident again. It’s especially important to do this as soon as possible as we know that one fall may be a sign that you are at risk of this happening again.

Dizziness is often a reason for people falling. It can be caused by:

• a drop in blood pressure when you stand up too quickly
• missing a meal or not drinking enough water
• the side effects of medication
• being unwell

What can I do to help?

Let your GP know if you:

• feel dizzy when you first stand up after you’ve been lying or sitting down. This is a common problem as we get older and can cause falls
• find there are changes in your walking, balance and ability to move about
• are rushing to the toilet or going more frequently
• are feeling confused or disorientated
• or your family are anxious about you falling

If you feel dizzy/lightheaded when you get up from a chair or bed, try moving your legs in a slow marching action before standing up. Remember to take your time to stand up and try not to rush up to answer the phone or doorbell or go to the toilet.

As we age, changes to our bodies can take place, affecting the way we move around. These changes can contribute to your risk of falling, increasing the likelihood of a trip or loss of balance.

If this is a new or recent change in your mobility and you have become unsteady on your feet, then speak to your GP or physiotherapist to have a discussion about your mobility.

If you think you need help to move around more safely, a physiotherapist can check how you get around inside and outside your home and, if required, provide the right walking aid for you. They will also assess your movement, balance and muscle strength and may suggest exercises to do at home or at a local class.

Your local health centre can help you find a physiotherapist.

To help you move around safely and prevent a fall:

• take your time. For instance, don’t rush to answer the phone or doorbell. If you need to get up at night make sure that you put a bedside light on and put on your slippers and glasses (if you wear them)
• lift your feet and try to make sure your steps are the same length. Stand tall and let your arms swing naturally at your sides
• look where you are going. Look straight ahead – when you need to look down do this with your eyes, try not to with your head
• use a walking aid. If you’re not already doing so, think about using a walking aid. Walking aids can help your balance and take the load off painful joints. They are most helpful when they’ve been properly matched to your needs and fitted especially for you. A stick or frame that’s the wrong height can make your walking, balance and posture worse. A physiotherapist can help to select the best type and size walking aid for you
• remove potential trip hazards in your home, such as:
  • poor lighting
  • loose rugs
  • trailing cables
  • clutter on the floor or stairs
  • spills or wet floors

• be aware of pets, especially cats and dogs. They are a great way to feel connected and to get out and about but they can easily get under your feet and trip you over
• get help if you need to lift or move items that are heavy or difficult to lift

Walking outside can be a daunting experience in particular as there’s uneven pavements or surfaces, uneven curb height or slippery/icy surfaces. Specifically when walking outside, you might find it useful to:

• use a walking stick or other walking aid for added stability
• wear shoes/boots with good grip
• walk on the grass when pavements are slippery
• you can put grit or cat litter on paths and driveways to reduce the risk of slipping
• take your time

For more information about what moving around safely, visit the NHS inform moving around safely section.

Learn more about dealing with anxiety about falling from NHS inform.

Fear of falling can cause you to become less active and more cautious and withdrawn. If you have become less active, your muscles can quickly become weaker – this can affect your balance and increase your risk of falls.

As we age, worrying or a fear of falling can become a serious concern, affecting your confidence and stopping you from doing things you enjoy.

Learning to manage these feelings, and knowing what you can do to reduce the risk of falls, can help to improve your confidence and quality of life. There are various techniques you can use to calm the mind and reduce muscle tension caused by anxiety. If anxiety about falling continues to be a problem for you after trying these techniques, speak to your GP, physiotherapist or occupational therapist.

 

 

It’s a good idea to think ahead about how you might summon help if you fell. Even if you are not injured, lying on the floor for a prolonged period of time can have serious consequences – for example, hypothermia, pressure sores and other serious health implications.

What can I do to help?

If you have a fall try not to panic. Although you may feel shocked, remaining calm will help you to assess the situation. What you do next will depend on if you’re hurt and whether or not you’re able to get up without help.

The first thing you need to do after a fall is work out if you’re hurt. Take a few minutes to check your body for any pain or injuries, then:

• if you’re not hurt, slowly try to get up from the floor
• if you’re hurt or unable to get off the floor, call for help and keep warm and moving as best you can

Every person is different and so the best way to get up off the floor after a fall will be slightly different for everyone.

To get up

• Ease yourself up onto your elbows
• Move onto your hands and knees
• Hold onto a stable/firm surface to support yourself
• Raise your self into a standing position
• Turn yourself gently and sit on a firm surface

Watch this video on ‘How to get up safely if you’ve had a fall’.

To give you more confidence it is a good idea to practice how you could get up after a fall in your home. Practice in different rooms and decide which furniture you can use to help. It’s best if someone else is with you when you practice just in case you get stuck.

If you can’t get up

• Attract attention
  • Press your pendant alarm if you have one. Community Alarms are designed to be carried with you, either as a pendant or wristband, allowing you to call for help even if you can’t reach a phone – see more info below
  • Use the phone if you can
  • If you can’t reach the phone and don’t have a community alarm, shout out and bang something – the wall or floor

• Get comfortable
  • If you land on a hard surface like a kitchen floor, try to move to a place with carpet
  • Find a nearby cushion or a jumper to roll up as a pillow

• Keep warm
  • Try to reach for a duvet cover, blanket of clothing which is nearby in order to keep yourself warm while you wait for help to arrive
  • Roll away from damp areas
  • If there’s a draft, try to move away from it

• Keep moving
  • Move positions to avoid getting sore
  • Move joints to avoid stiffness and help circulation
  • Avoid moving any part of your body that are painful following the fall

Community alarms and technology enabled care

If you’re worried about falling while you’re alone at home, a community (personal) alarm could help. Community alarms are designed to be carried with you, either as a pendant or wristband, allowing you to call for help even if you can’t reach a phone. Many alarms are now waterproof so can be worn in the bath, shower or garden.

Community alarms are usually connected with a fixed landline phone. However, some community alarms now connect to mobile phone networks via a built-in sim card.

In the event of a fall, you can use the alarm to call a 24-hour response centre. The operator will:

• try to speak to you through the alarm unit’s built in microphone and loudspeaker without the need for you to lift the phone handset
• phone the best person to help you — this could be a neighbour, relative, friend or the emergency services. In some areas there’s also a mobile team who’ll come and help you up from the floor

Technology enabled care includes movement sensors or chair or bed sensors which link to a central unit and trigger a call to a local operator or family member who can provide help.

Having a community alarm and/or other technology enabled care provides reassurance that help is on hand and will help raise your confidence in moving around, particularly if you’ve had a fall.

If you want to apply for a community alarm or just want to find out more about local community alarm services, contact your local social work department/local council. Most areas in Scotland do charge for the community alarm service.

For more information about what to do if you fall, visit the NHS inform what to do if you fall page.