Did someone just fall? Details

Call 911 if they hit their head and are confused, drowsy, vomiting or have a bad headache; if they cannot get up or move a leg, hip, arm or back; if they have chest pain or trouble breathing; or if they take a blood thinner and hit their head, even if they seem fine.

Otherwise, do not pull them up. Help them sit, check for pain, and stay with them. Call their doctor the same day. This page is for planning ahead; it cannot assess an injury.

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A fall plan for the fridge

Fill in three lines, print one page, and keep it by the phone, so whoever falls knows what to do next.

Your plan

If I fall

  1. Breathe. Take several deep breaths and stay still on the floor for a few moments.
  2. Decide if I am hurt. Getting up too fast, or the wrong way, can make an injury worse.
  3. Roll onto my side and rest. Then slowly get onto hands and knees and crawl to a sturdy chair.
  4. Slowly sit. Hands on the chair seat, one foot forward flat on the floor, the other knee down; rise slowly and turn to sit.
  5. Get help. If I am hurt or cannot get up, ask someone or call 911. If I am alone, get comfortable and wait for help.

After any fall, even with no pain: tell the doctor at or before the next check-up. A fall can point to a new problem with health, medicines or eyesight that can be fixed.

Source: National Institute on Aging, “Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and Prevention”, content reviewed September 12, 2022. Dizziness lines: MedlinePlus, “Dizziness” (review date 4/1/2025), medlineplus.gov. Walker line: Medicare, “Walkers”, medicare.gov; both checked 2026-10-27. nia.nih.gov

What you type stays on this page and is not saved; closing the page erases it. Want to know the risk before a fall? Take the CDC checklist or time the Up and Go. Planning for them to stay at home? See what help it takes and what Medicare pays for (careho.me).