Preventing and dealing with falls at home
Fight falls in Devon
Every day the Ambulance Service will be called to 32 people in Devon who have fallen.
Falls can lead to:
- Injury
- Reduced mobility
- Loss of independence
- Reduced quality of life
You are more at risk of a fall if:
- You have fallen before
- Take 4 or more medicines
- Have had a Stroke or have Parkinson’s Disease
- Have a problem with your balance
- Have difficulty in getting up from a dining chair without using your arms
If any of these apply to you or you are afraid of falling, help and advice is available from:
- your GP
- Health Visitor
- District Nurse
- Therapist
- Care Direct Devon - Tel: 0800 444000
- your local Social Services
- NHS Direct – 0845 4647
Preventing falls saves lives.
If you have had a fall
- Don’t Panic
- Try to summon help - by shouting or banging on the wall or if possible crawl to the telephone. An emergency response system would prove invaluable in these circumstances
- Assess the situation - decide if you can get up
If you are hurt and think you can’t get up ...
- Rest and wait
- Move to a safe surface - If you have fallen on a hard surface, try and move to a carpeted area
- Keep warm - Try to cover yourself and try to move out of draughts
- Keep moving - Don’t lie in one position for too long, roll from side to side and move your arms and legs if possible
If you think you can get up ...
- Roll onto your hands and knees
- Crawl to a stable piece of furniture such as bed or chair
- Place your hands onto the bed or chair for support
- Place one foot flat on floor bending your knee in front of your tummy
- Lean forward. Push onto your hands until you bring the other foot beside the first
- Turn and sit on the bed or chair
- Rest for a while before getting up
After any fall, report it to your GP and seek medical attention.
Download Falls Leaflet 
(184KB - pdf help)
A4 Colour Flyer (416KB - pdf help)
A4 Black & White Flyer (173KB - pdf help)
More information is available from:
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