Emergency signs first. Call 911 now if, after a fall:
- The person is hurt, or cannot get up on their own
- There is pain in the groin or upper thigh, or they cannot put weight on a leg (possible broken hip)
- They hit their head and have a headache that gets worse, repeated vomiting, confusion, slurred speech, unusual sleepiness, or cannot be woken
- They passed out, or have new weakness, numbness or a seizure
- If you are alone and cannot get up: call for help or 911, then try to get comfortable while you wait.
988 is the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: confidential, any hour, by call, text or chat, including when you are worried about someone else. This page cannot see or answer an emergency.
Bring this to the falls visit
Falls often go unmentioned at checkups. Put every fall and near-fall on one page, so the causes get checked, not just “be careful.”
Tell the doctor’s office soon, not at next year’s checkup, if
- There has been any fall this year, even one without an injury
- Dizziness or unsteadiness is new or getting worse
- The falls or dizziness started around the time of a new medicine
How this works, and what it cannot do
- It stays on this device. What you tick or type is kept in this browser only. Nothing is sent to us or anyone. Clear it with one button at the bottom.
- It is a list to talk from, not a diagnosis. No one reviews it. Your clinician decides what it means.
- About five minutes. Tick what fits, fill a few lines, pick three or four questions, then print it or save it as a text file.
Next stops
Practice the talk firstRehearse talking to Dad after a fall, or asking the doctor for a falls check. Scripted, on this device.Score the risk: fallrisks.comA three-minute fall-risk screener for families. No account.Measure walking speed: healthgait.comA walking-speed test on your own phone; nothing is uploaded.Time the chair-and-walk testThe Timed Up and Go self-test on our homepage, to bring as a number.
Sources
- National Institute on Aging: Falls and Fractures in Older Adults (checked 2026-09-29)
- CDC: Facts About Older Adult Falls (checked 2026-09-29)
- CDC: Symptoms of Mild TBI and Concussion (danger signs) (checked 2026-09-29)
- AAOS OrthoInfo: Hip Fractures (checked 2026-09-29)
- National Institute on Aging: How To Prepare for a Doctor’s Appointment (checked 2026-09-29)
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (checked 2026-09-29)