When your parent falls, your first instinct may be to help them straight back up. Take a moment to check their condition before moving them.
Are they responding to you? Are they breathing normally? Do they seem badly hurt?
Call 995 immediately if they are unconscious, struggling to breathe, seriously injured or unable to get up. Do not rush to lift them. Stay with them and follow the call-taker’s instructions.
Before helping them up, check for injuries
Speak calmly and ask where it hurts. Look for bleeding, swelling or an arm or leg resting at an unusual angle. Ask whether they hit their head, felt dizzy or blacked out before falling.
Even if your parent says they are fine, give them time to answer and ask later on again. Do not ask them to stand just to check whether they can.
Avoid pulling them up by their arms or trying to carry their full weight. Ng Teng Fong General Hospital warns that lifting someone after a fall can make an unnoticed injury worse.
If you suspect an injury, keep them still while seeking help. Stay nearby and reassure them.
When to call 995
Call for an emergency ambulance if your parent:
- Is unconscious.
- Has trouble breathing.
- Has severe pain or cannot move or get up.
- Has heavy bleeding that will not stop.
- May have a serious injury to their head, neck, back or hip.
- Develops sudden confusion, new weakness or difficulty speaking.
If they are unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 995 immediately, put your phone on speaker and begin CPR as directed by the call-taker.
Give your full address, including the block and unit number. Explain what happened and describe your parent’s condition. Stay on the line until you are told to hang up or when paramedics arrive. If someone else is home, ask them to open the door and guide the ambulance crew in.
What if they hit their head but seem fine?
An older parent who hits their head needs prompt medical assessment, even if there is no visible bleeding.
SingHealth’s guidance advises emergency department assessment for higher-risk people, including adults aged 65 and above and those taking blood-thinning medication. Tell the medical team if your parent takes these medicines.
Repeated vomiting, unusual sleepiness, changes in behaviour or new weakness after a head injury need urgent attention.
If they are not hurt, let them move at their own pace
If there are no warning signs and they are able to get up, give them space and encourage them to take their time.
SingHealth advises using stable furniture, such as a sturdy chair, for support. Let your parent do as much of the movement themselves as they safely can. Avoid hauling them to their feet.
If moving hurts or they cannot manage, stop and get help. Do not keep trying to lift them.
Once they are seated, let them rest and check again for pain or injuries they may not have noticed earlier.
Keep an eye on them afterwards
Follow any instructions from the doctor, including when to return for a further check-up.
If your parent has been assessed and sent home after a head injury, SingHealth advises that they should not be left alone during the first 24 hours. Watch for changes in alertness, behaviour or walking, and seek urgent care if these appear.
For urgent concerns that are not life-threatening, you can call NurseFirst at 6262 6262 for advice on where to seek care. Call 995 for an emergency.
Write down what happened
Tell your parent’s GP about the fall, even if there is no obvious injury. A doctor can check for treatable causes. Before the appointment, note:
- When and where the fall happened.
- What your parent was doing beforehand.
- Whether they felt dizzy, blacked out or hit their head.
- How long they were on the floor.
- Any pain or changes since the fall.
- Previous falls and any recent medication changes.
Bring their medication list and ask whether any medicines could be causing dizziness or affecting their balance. Let the doctor decide whether changes are needed.
Look at where the fall happened
Once the immediate care is settled, check the places your parent uses every day.
Was the bathroom floor wet? Was there a loose mat beside the bed? Could they reach a light switch before getting up?
AIC recommends keeping the floor clear, cleaning spills promptly and installing night lights between the bed and bathroom. Suitable footwear and walking aids may also help.
If bathing or moving around has become difficult, ask an occupational therapist about changes that suit your parent’s needs. A shower chair or properly positioned grab bars may help, depending on how they move and the layout of the home.
Help them feel confident moving again
Your parent may feel nervous about walking after a fall. Listen to what worries them and ask their healthcare team how they can safely return to everyday activities.
NUH explains that fear of falling can lead to less activity. Over time, this can leave a person weaker and more likely to fall again.
Suitable exercise can help. A Cochrane review found that exercise programmes reduced the rate of falls by about 23% among older people living in the community. Ask a physiotherapist about an appropriate programme, especially after an injury.
Make a plan for when they are alone
Talk with your parent about how they would get help if nobody else were home.
Always keep a phone within reach, and consider whether a personal alert device or a home camera would suit them. Agree on who the emergency contacts should be, who nearby could attend and what happens if the first person does not answer. With your parent’s agreement, arrange access to the home for someone they trust.
If your family uses a home camera, agree on who can view it and what they should do if they notice a problem.
Write the plan somewhere easy to find. Go through it with your parent and anyone helping with their care, so everyone knows what to do.