Falls can happen at any age, but the good news is that many can be prevented. If you do have a fall, knowing what to do can make a big difference.
Try to stay calm and take a moment to check how you are feeling. Your first instinct might be to get straight back up and just carry on, but it’s important only try to get up if you feel you can do so safely.
If you decide you cannot get up safely, try to get somebody’s attention to help you, save your energy, and use any pillows or blankets that are within reach to stay comfortable until help arrives.
It is important to practice getting up off the floor safely. Use the Get Up Off the Floor flyer or follow along with the videos in different areas of your house to practice.
How to get up off the floor videos
In these videos, we will guide you through safe, step-by-step ways to get up off the floor that you can practice at home. We’ll also talk about what to do if you are not able to get up.
These are skills you can build at your own pace over time. When practicing how to get up off the floor, take your time, listen to your body, and only do what feels comfortable for you. If you have any concerns, your health professional, doctor, or exercise specialist can support you. It can also be a good idea to have someone with you while you practice these movements.
You can also use the Get Up Off The Floor flyer to guide you through how to get up safely using your knees or your arms.
Falls ‘First Aid’
It is important to let someone know if you have had a fall, such as a family member, friend, or GP. Falls do not always result in serious injuries, but they can be the first sign of other health changes that may require further assessment.
Sometimes injuries that occur from a fall might not show until a few days or even weeks after your fall. Some symptoms that you may experience include:
- Headaches: Watch out for headaches where the pain increases over time and are not relieved by simple pain medicine
- Blurred vision: You might notice you have trouble focusing your eyes or experience double vision
- Drowsiness: You may faint or feel more tired than usual
- Nausea or vomiting: You may feel sick, which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting
- Dizziness or weakness: Watch out for dizziness, loss of balance, weakness in your limbs, and difficulty walking
- Confusion: You may have trouble speaking and understanding what people are saying, understanding what is going on in your surroundings, or recognising people or places. You may start to get muddled up, or other people may notice that you are behaving unusually.
- Seizures: Seizures are rare. However, if you experience a seizure, seek medical help immediately.
- Other symptoms: Watch for any continual fluid or bleeding from your nose or ears and seek medical help immediately if this occurs
Have a falls action plan
It is helpful to have an action plan in case you have a fall. Make sure you are familiar with the action plan before you have a fall. Remember to discuss the action plan with your GP and family members.
