Getting Help

No one wants to have a fall but if a person is worried about falling and does fall it is important to create a plan for getting help. This can give people peace of mind and the quicker a person can get help after a fall, the less likely they are to experience unnecessary fear, distress and complications. 

Getting up from a fall

The first thing to do after a fall is check for pain and injuries. If the person is not hurt, try to get them up from the floor.

These helpful films provide health information from NHS Inform, from people who have had experiences themselves about getting up after a fall. You can watch the full 20 minute film or choose an excerpt.

Steps Involved in Aiding a Person off the Floor is a diagram leaflet. 

Getting Down To and Up from the Floor Safely is a home exercise programme. 

These are links to a selection of recordings demonstrating the backward chaining technique for getting up from the floor.

Calling for Help

If the person is hurt or unable to get off the floor, calling for help and keeping warm/moving as best able, is important while waiting for assistance.

Creating a Falls Plan provides practical advice about using a phone, using an alarm and letting help in, provided by NHS Inform. 

People can wear portable alarm buttons which can be activated in the event of a fall to call for help. These can provide a person, family and carers with reassurance that if there is a problem, help is available 24 hours a day, every day.

City Wide Care Alarms is Sheffield's emergency care alarm service provided by the local authority.  

There are national services who provide care alarms which a person may wish to consider. It is important to compare the services offered and the response in the event of an alarm being activated.

Often people have a key safe installed so that emergency services or those assisting in the event of the fall can more easily access the property, without causing damage to the property.  

Also, voice activated digital assistants (e.g. Alexa) can help make a phone call in the event of an emergency.