NHS Kernow’s website closed on 30 June 2022. Visit the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board website for information about our health and care services.
Above all, if you do have a fall, even if you don’t hurt yourself, tell your GP.
Use your lifeline alarm if you have one, crawl to a telephone, or make a loud noise to attract attention.
Cover up with anything in reach, like a rug, blanket, or towel.
Move the parts of your body that don’t hurt, to relieve pressure. If you are on a hard floor, try to move to an area with carpet or a rug.
If you can, roll onto your hands and knees, crawl to a solid piece of furniture and use it to help you up.
If you are concerned that you, or an older relative, may be at risk of having a fall, or have recently experienced a fall, you can request a home hazard assessment. The assessment will help you identify hazards and get advice on how to deal with them. Contact your local authority and/or GP to see what help is available in your area.
If you are concerned that the side effects of medication that you are taking is putting you at increased risk of a fall, you can request a medication review with your GP. There may be alternative medications that you can use, the dose of your current medication could be lowered or, in some cases, stopped altogether.
If you are concerned that poor vision is increasing your risk of having a fall, you should make an appointment to have a sight test. Although not all causes of age-related visual impairment can be treated, some can. For example, surgery is an effective treatment for cataracts (a common age-related eye condition where cloudy patches develop over the lens of the eye).