Hands-On Care How-To
How to Help an Elderly Parent Up After a Fall - Safely
Don’t rush to lift. The safe, step-by-step way to help an elderly parent up after a fall, when to call 911 instead, and what to do afterward.
By Dan Hellman, J.D.Published
Former employment attorney and HR director. Managing in-home care for his mom.
Disclosure: Some future product links may be affiliate links. We only plan to include related products when they are relevant to the caregiving topic.
To help an elderly parent up after a fall, do not lift. Check for injury first, then walk them up through a sturdy chair, and call 911 if anything is wrong.
Few things drop a caregiver's stomach like finding a parent on the floor.
Your instinct is to run over and get them up as fast as you can. That instinct is completely natural, and it can make things worse.
Knowing the steps ahead of time is what lets you act calmly instead of in a panic. So read this now, before you need it.
Should You Lift a Parent Who Has Fallen?
Take a breath. Resist the urge to pull them up.
Lifting someone who has a fracture, a head injury, or an injured hip can cause real harm. Falls are common - about one in four older adults falls each year (CDC) - which is exactly why this is worth rehearsing in your head.
Assess Before You Move Them
Are they in pain anywhere, especially the hip, back, head, or wrist?
Is there bleeding, a deformed or shortened limb, or any sign they hit their head?
Are they confused, dizzy, or unable to move a limb?
If there is any sign of serious injury, any head strike (especially if they are on a blood thinner), or you simply cannot tell - call 911. Keep them still and comfortable. Do not move them.
If They Are Not Hurt
If your parent is uninjured and able to help, do not lift them like deadweight.
Guide them to roll onto their side, then up onto hands and knees, then crawl to a sturdy chair.
Have them put both hands on the seat, bring one foot flat on the floor, and push up with their legs while you steady them.
Steady, not lift. You are a spotter, not a crane. Protect your own back. An injured caregiver helps nobody.
After Any Fall
Even a fall where everybody is fine deserves a follow-up.
Write down what happened and tell the doctor. A fall can be the first sign of a UTI, a medication problem, a drop in blood pressure, or new weakness. Watch for delayed symptoms over the next day.
Keeping your parent's medical information and medication list somewhere the whole family and the EMTs can reach in seconds turns a chaotic moment into a manageable one.
Our free 72-Hour Crisis Plan walks through exactly what to have ready before any of this happens. It costs you an email address and about twenty minutes.
Read next:
Free download: The 72-Hour Crisis Plan
What to do, in order, in the first three days after a fall, a hospital call, or a sudden decline.