When and where to get help if you’ve had a fall

There’s a lot you can do yourself, or with your family or carer, to reduce your risk of falls. However, the reasons people fall can be complex and sometimes you’ll need the support of others.

The support you’re given will help to reduce your risk of further falls and injuries, and help you to continue to carry out activities that are important to you.

Contact your GP practice if you:

lost consciousness (blacked out) when you fell
found yourself on the floor and didn’t know why, or have had other falls you can’t explain
felt dizzy, lightheaded or had heart palpitations before you fell
have had 2 or more falls in the last year
if you, or your family, are anxious or worried about you falling
start feeling unsteady on your feet
are rushing to the toilet, or going more frequently
have drowsiness that wasn’t there before
have noticed changes in your health, mobility or memory since you fell
are unable to carry on with your usual daily activities since you fell

Having one fall may be a sign that you’re at risk of falling again.

Where to get support

If you need support following a fall, or help to reduce your risk of falling, your GP practice, community nurse or other health or social care professional, will be able to advise you where to get support in your area.

Some health and social care services have a specialist falls prevention service, however, in most parts of Scotland services that can help prevent falls are provided by:

day hospitals
falls clinics
community care and rehabilitation teams
community physiotherapists
community occupational therapists

In some areas, you’ll be able to contact many of these services yourself, while in others, your GP might have to refer you.

What’ll happen next?

If you seek advice and support after a fall, or have concerns about falling, it’s most likely that you’ll be offered a ‘home and person’ falls risk screen.

The purpose of the screen is to:

listen to what you think the problem could be
try to work out why you’re falling
agree an action plan with you to reduce your risk of falling, and the risk of being harmed if you were to have a fall

Find out more about falls risk screening

Telecare Self-Check online tool

Visit the Telecare Self-Check online tool to find the right support for you in your area. This easy to use online tool allows you to find helpful information on telecare services that could help you live independently at home for longer.