What do I do if my client falls?

Even for an experienced carer, the thought of your client falling, or worse, discovering that they fell while you were out of the room is simply the worst thing. No-one wants this to happen.

Unfortunately, people fall, particularly older people. The reasons are often obvious things such as slipping on rugs or mats, bumping into tables or simply overbalancing.

The sad fact of life is that every year over 22,900 adults in the UK die from falls and unintentional injuries directly related to falling. Among other things the falls result in hip fractures, head traumas, lacerations and other injuries. 40% of people over the age of 80 will have at least one fall a year.

Aside from the obvious reasons for a fall, some other reasons for falls are that as the body ages, the ability to react fast to situations is reduced. Vision may become worse, and the spatial awareness when passing messages from the inner ear to the brain is diminished. Additionally, low blood pressure when standing up too quickly results in dizziness.

So, what to do if your client falls?

The chances are you will hear them fall. Most people will react and shout or cry out as they fall. You may even be walking with your client when they fall.

Most agencies will train you not to fall with your client, in that you must get yourself out of the way, so they do not fall onto you. If this happens, neither of you can get help, so this makes sense.

If you are with your client, there are some things you can do to lessen the injury rate of the fall.

• Use your body to break the fall. This does not mean that you should be a soft landing for your client. It simply means that you slow down the rate of descent, so they land at a slower speed.
• Protect yourself. You can do this by taking a stable stance, this means that you place your feet wide apart and bend your knees while they fall against you.
• Guard your client’s head. As best you can, protect the head from hitting the ground or any other object such as tables.

 

Once your client has landed on the floor, your job is to stay with them and call for help. This is why it makes sense for a live-in carer to keep their cell phone on their body at all times or certainly close at hand. A pouch that attaches to your waistband will ensure that you always have a phone with you.

If your client is not conscious, not breathing or does not have a pulse, you need to call emergency services Immediately, and then start CPR. They will keep talking to you while the ambulance gets to you.

With a client who is conscious you should check for visible injuries such as cuts and broken bones. If someone else was with your client and you did not see the fall, ask them to explain it to you so you know what has happened.

If your client is shaking, confused or shows signs of pain and dizziness, provide them with a warm blanket and wait for help to arrive.

If you suspect that there may be a spinal injury, do not attempt to move your client. You must wait until help arrives.

Risk factors with Dementia clients

• Clients with Dementia have a greater risk of falling because:
• They are more likely to have mobility issues
• They may have difficulty finding their way around, particularly for the toilet and are then rushing to find it.
• They may take medication which makes them drowsy.
• They may be slower to react to a situation and slower to take evasive action.

 

To sum up

Sooner or later you will be with a client who has a fall, through no fault of your own, or anyone else’s.  Falls happen, but with a little forethought and a little time spent in assessing the risks, such as loose carpets and wobbly tables, you can help to minimise the risk of a fall.

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