What happens if you fall and can't get up?

"If they can't get up, then a fall becomes even more serious because they can become dehydrated, which damages organs, or the injury itself becomes even more serious."

What to do if someone has fallen and cant get up?

Call 911 and keep your loved one as warm, comfortable and still as possible until help arrives. If they aren't badly hurt and they want to get up, proceed slowly. Stop at any point if they become stuck, experience pain or become too tired to get all the way up. Find two sturdy chairs.

How do you know if fall is serious?

However, if pain from a fall persists beyond a few hours or you are unable to bear weight or move an upper extremity without pain, be sure to get evaluated by a physician. If the fall should cause a broken bone with skin disruption, get emergency care immediately.

What happens to your body when you fall down?

Decelerating rapidly - which is what happens if the human body falls and then makes sudden impact - can cause cells to rupture. Like cells, blood vessels can also break open, preventing the circulation of oxygen throughout the body. Without oxygen, our organs, including the brain, cease to function.

What are the most serious consequences of a fall?

The most serious consequences of a fall are severe injuries, the risk of fall-related anxiety, and financial instability due to medical bills and lost wages.

Life Call Commercial "I've fallen and I can't get up!"

How long does it take to recover from a fall?

Elevation – keep the injured area supported and lifted while resting and especially when you are using an icepack. Your body has to create scar tissue to repair your injury. This process starts at around 24-48 hours and it can go on for several months, normally stopping at around 4-6 months.

What is the cause of death from a fall?

Almost half of fall deaths involved head injuries, and 29.5% involved hip fractures. The other major contributors to fall deaths were diseases of the circulatory system (I00–I99) (47.4%) and diseases of the respiratory system (J00–J98) (17.4%).

When would someone falling become a cause for concern?

Falling becomes a cause for concern when someone who suffered an earlier head injury notices a sudden change in how they feel. For example, a head injury that leads to constant headaches might be more serious than they thought if a person feels sudden sharp headache pain where there was none before.

What are the 3 types of falls?

What should you check after a fall?

After the Fall

Check the patient's breathing, pulse, and blood pressure. If the patient is unconscious, not breathing, or does not have a pulse, call a hospital emergency code and start CPR. Check for injury, such as cuts, scrapes, bruises, and broken bones.

What are 3 common causes of falls?

Scientists have linked several personal risk factors to falling, including muscle weakness, problems with balance and gait, and blood pressure that drops too much when you get up from lying down or sitting (called postural hypotension).

At what height is a fall considered severe?

The American College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) defines a critical threshold for a fall height in adults as > 20 feet (6 meters), as part of the field triage decision scheme for transport to a designated trauma center [3].

Are falls leading cause of death in elderly?

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults age 65 and older, and the age-adjusted fall death rate is increasing. The age-adjusted fall death rate is 64 deaths per 100,000 older adults.

How long does it take an elderly person to get over a fall?

Recovering after an injury is often a very long and time-consuming process, which is particularly true for adults ages 65+. It can often take months until they fully recover, but there are ways to speed up this process and recover a bit faster.

How long does it take a senior to recover from a fall?

In fact, the source reported that in a study, only one-third of seniors who were classified as severely or moderately disabled prior to their fall were able to fully recover within one year.

What injuries can you get from falling?

Why do elderly people fall?

The normal changes of aging, like poor eyesight or poor hearing, can make you more likely to fall. Illnesses and physical conditions can affect your strength and balance. Poor lighting or throw rugs in your home can make you more likely to trip or slip.

What are the types of falls?

The four types of falls go into categories based on what caused the fall. They include step, slip, trip and stump. A step and fall is when you walk on a surface that has a change in height you were not expecting. This could be a step down, a hole or an uneven surface that slopes or dips down.

Are drop attacks serious?

Drop attacks are very serious as they often result in falls and breakage of bones. Treatment is individualized according to the diagnosis. Because in many instances, no diagnosis is established, no treatment may be advocated.

Can low blood pressure cause falls?

Complications that can happen because of hypotension include: Falls and fall-related injury. These are the biggest risk with hypotension because it can cause dizziness and fainting.

Should an elderly person see a doctor after a fall?

It is especially important for your senior to see a doctor if they are experiencing any of the following: They lost consciousness during their recent fall. They could not explain how or why they fell, or they realized they were on the floor and couldn't explain how it happened.

What to watch for after an elderly person falls?

Should elderly go to hospital after fall?

If the older person has fallen before, even once, or if you have any doubts about their well-being, arrange a visit to the doctor as soon as possible. Her feet or knees might be causing pain and affecting the way she walks.

Can a fall cause a stroke in elderly?

Second, researchers have found that moderate and severe head injuries can cause blood clotting problems. If the blood cannot clot correctly, this can also trigger a stroke. For example, if too many blood clots are formed, an ischemic stroke can occur.