Fall Prevention: How to Handle a Fall1
Follow these steps to decrease the chance of further injury after a fall.
Do Not Panic
After a fall, panic is often the first reaction. It is important to stay calm so you can think clearly and get help fast.
Check for Injuries
If you think you may have a broken bone or other injury, do not get up. Yell for help or crawl to the telephone and call for help.
Get Up If You Can
If you can get up, do so slowly. Here is how to get up safely:
Roll Over onto Your Side
Crawl to a Chair
Pull Yourself Up
Turn and Sit Down
Make a list of phone numbers of people you can call in an emergency. Keep the list by the phone. If you need help immediately, call 911.
These videos demonstrate how to get up from a fall: https://youtu.be/ytXndx5Gako, https://youtu.be/Qpl8E-7drdc
