Falls can threaten a senior’s independence, safety, and health. NCOA and CDC list that one in four Americans aged 65 and older falls each year. Every 11 seconds, a senior is treated in the emergency room for a fall and every 19 minutes an older adult dies from a fall. Each year, 3 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries. Falls are a leading cause of fatal injuries and nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions. Annually, falls result in 800,000 hospitalizations and over 27,000 deaths. Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. Here are six steps on helping seniors who you may witness having a fall.
- Prepare your loved one
Encourage them to stay calm and take deep breaths before assisting - Evaluate injuries
If they have experienced a serious injury, do not attempt to move them. Instead, call 911. If they aren’t seriously injured and want to get up on their own, continue. - Assist to a kneeling position
Help roll them onto their side, starting with the head to help position them as they knee. Place a rolled towel under their knees for comfort and support.
- Position chairs
Place one chair in front of where your loved one is kneeling, and one chair behind them to sit on. - Move slowly
Place both hands on the chair in front of them and slide one foot forward so it is flat on the floor. Keep the other leg bent with their knee on the floor. - Encourage your loved one
Slowly, encourage them to push themselves up on the first chair and then sit back in the second chair. Steady them, but don’t hold their full weight, to prevent your own injury.
We hope our resources help you and your loved ones prevent falls. If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please reach out to us! Here at BlueStar, it is our goal to keep you and your loved ones Safe, Healthy, and Connected. We do this through offering best medical alert systems for seniors that are available on our website. These senior life health products can deliver push-button emergency help so you are never alone. If you have any questions, please contact a product specialist today at (800) 300-1724, option 1!
