Monday, 23 November 2020

How to Pick Yourself or a Loved One Up After a Fall

The cold wintery weather is here in full force, meaning icy pavements and driveways, slippery roads, and mud everywhere you walk. Unfortunately, this also means that the likelihood of suffering a fall is far greater than during the warmer, drier summer months.

While it is always important to practice caution, it is also important to familiarise yourself with what to do in the event that you or an elderly loved one experiences a fall. Here’s what you need to know.

Call for help

You might not think that it is vital to call for emergency services if your senior loved one doesn’t seem to be injured after a fall. However, the reality is that their body is awash with adrenalin that could be masking the pain. It is also possible to injure them or yourself should you try to help them up without any additional support. As such, if the person who has taken a tumble is an older adult, it is almost always better to call 999.

Stay calm

It is easy to panic after witnessing an elderly loved one suffer a fall, especially if it was a significant one. Do your best to stay calm and to keep your loved one calm as well by taking slow, deep breaths. Ask them if they are in any pain and examine them for any injuries. If an injury is evident, do not attempt to move them and immediately dial 999. Keep them comfortable, supported, and warm until assistance arrives.

Use the two-chair technique

If they seem alright and are adamant that they want to get up and do not want you to call emergency services, the best approach is to follow the two-chair technique. Grab two sturdy chairs, placing one next to their head and the other at their feet.

Next, encourage them to roll over onto their side and to get onto their hands and knees (it can help to place a soft towel underneath the knees to avoid any discomfort). From there, they should grab hold of the chair in front of them to help move into a position where they are kneeling. They should then raise one leg up so that they are in a lunge position before raising the other and then sitting back onto the other chair directly behind them, which you should hold to ensure it doesn't slip.

Let them sit until they feel well enough to start moving around again and be sure to notify their doctor of the fall as he or she may insist on a check-up to make certain that everything is alright. It's important that you don't keep the fall a secret, particularly if they are becoming frequent.

Remember when following the two-chair technique to stop immediately if at any point the senior experiences pain or dizziness, and dial 999 for help.

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