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If someone needs immediate help with elderly fall, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — An older adult has fallen at home or outside and may have hip, wrist, or head injury. They may be confused, in pain, or unable to get up.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Do not hurry to lift. Ask about head hit. Call 112 if bad pain or confusion.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Pain in hip, groin, or wrist after fall; leg turned outward or shorter.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Confusion, drowsiness, or not remembering the fall.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Bump on head, especially if on warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Falls are a leading cause of injury in older adults. Thin bones break more easily.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Head injuries on blood thinners can bleed internally even from minor bumps.
Check the scene before you approach.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Stay calm. Ask: "Did you hit your head? Where does it hurt?"
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Look for bleeding, deformity, or inability to move a limb.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If hip pain or leg looks wrong — do NOT try to stand them up. Call 112.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If no severe pain and they want to get up — help slowly: roll to side, rest on hands and knees, then chair if steady.
When and how to get professional help.
Call if head strike, hip pain with shortened leg, on blood thinners, or cannot bear weight.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do not force an elderly person to stand. Hip fractures are common and worsened by wrong movement.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112 if head hit, hip pain, on blood thinners, chest pain, or cannot get up safely.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Say age, medicines, where they fell, and current alertness.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT yank them up by the arms — common cause of shoulder and hip injury.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT assume dizziness is normal — it may be stroke or heart problem.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT leave them alone on the floor for hours if you can get help.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If they did not break anything, no doctor visit is needed
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Hip fractures are not always obvious. Head bleeds on blood thinners can appear later.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Fall from height
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person fell from a ladder, roof, balcony, tree, or building. They may have multiple injuries including head, spine, chest, and limbs.
Femur fracture
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — After a major fall or crash, the thigh is very painful, swollen, or bent wrong. The person cannot bear weight on the leg.
Neck fracture
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — After diving, vehicle crash, fall, or sports impact, the person has neck pain or cannot move arms or legs normally.
Open fracture
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A broken bone has pierced the skin, or there is a deep wound with visible bone. Bleeding may be present.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Place a pillow under head if on floor. Keep warm with a blanket.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Note time of fall and any medicines they take — tell ambulance.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Any elderly fall with head strike, hip pain, or new confusion needs same-day emergency evaluation.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Skipping evaluation and missing hip fracture or brain bleed.