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An elderly person has fallen and cannot get up

A fall after 70 is rarely "just a fall": in a third of cases there is a fracture, and sometimes the cause was a stroke or an arrhythmia. The typical family mistake is to pull the person up by the arms. First find out what happened, then lift.

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What to do right now

Do not lift immediately
Ask what hurts and whether they can move the legs. Groin pain with the foot turned outwards means a hip fracture — do not move them.
Check speech and face
Slurred speech, a drooping face or a weak arm mean the fall was caused by a stroke. Call immediately.
Cover them and support the head
The floor is cold; a blanket and a pillow under the head, without lifting the torso.
If nothing hurts, lift them properly
Roll onto the side, onto all fours, bring a chair close, let them push up from one knee. Never by the arms or armpits.
Measure blood pressure afterwards
Falls on standing are often caused by pressure or rhythm problems. If dizziness returns, do not let them walk alone.

Call an ambulance if

Hip or groin pain, inability to stand on the leg
Head impact, loss of consciousness even briefly, vomiting or drowsiness after the fall
Slurred speech, facial droop, weakness in an arm or leg
The person takes anticoagulants and hit their head or abdomen
You cannot lift them and they have been down for more than 20–30 minutes
Back pain or numbness in the legs

What not to do

Do not pull by the arms or lift abruptly
Do not give painkillers before assessment after a head injury
Do not leave the person on the floor "to rest"
Do not try to straighten a painful leg

What the crew does

Examination: consciousness, speech, blood pressure, ECG if an arrhythmia is suspected
Assessment of the pelvis and hip, immobilisation if a fracture is suspected
Lifting from the floor by two or three people with a stretcher or board
Transport to a trauma hospital when required

This page is for information and does not replace a medical examination. If the condition worsens, call the crew: +7 (985) 887-82-52.

This page in Russian: Russian version.

Questions

Everything seems fine after the fall — do we still need a doctor?

If the person is over 75, hit their head, or takes blood thinners, an examination is needed even without complaints: a brain haematoma can appear a day later.

How much does it cost just to lift someone from the floor in Moscow?

Call-out 6,000 ₽ inside the MKAD, lifting included; an ECG and examination are charged separately. The crew also looks for the cause of the fall.

How do we prevent the next fall?

Remove loose rugs, add a night light and a bathroom grab rail, get shoes with a closed heel, and have the medication list reviewed — sleeping pills and blood-pressure drugs are a frequent cause.