My Parent Had a Fall: What to Do Now and What to Watch For

Right After the Fall: Five Steps

1. Stay calm. Do not panic.
2. Check for injury first. Look for bleeding or pain. A fall can break bones such as the wrist, arm, ankle or hip, or cause head and spinal injuries.
3. Call 995 if they cannot move or get up on their own, or if they cry in pain when they move.
4. Reassure them and stay with them until help arrives.
5. Only help them up if they have no serious injury. Some injuries get worse or only show later, so keep watching them over the next two days.

Source: Tan Tock Seng Hospital, What to Do If Your Loved One Had a Fall, read on 7 November 2026.

Symptoms to Look For After a Fall: the Next 24 to 48 Hours

Some injuries only show later. Tan Tock Seng Hospital advises seeing a doctor if you notice any of these in the 24 to 48 hours after the fall:

• Increasing sleepiness or drowsiness
• Severe headache that painkillers such as paracetamol do not relieve
• New or increasing confusion
• Vomiting that does not stop
• New weakness, or weakness that is getting worse, in the arms or legs
• Increasing pain in any part of the body that painkillers such as paracetamol do not relieve
• Severe pain that affects moving or daily activities
• More bleeding from where they were hurt

If they have just fallen and are hurt, cannot get up or seem confused, call 995 rather than waiting.

Source: Tan Tock Seng Hospital, post-fall advice, read on 7 November 2026.

Consequences of Falls in the Elderly

In Singapore, about one in three adults aged 60 and above has fallen more than once, according to the Health Promotion Board. Most falls happen at home, often in the bedroom and living room. A fall can affect a person in three ways:

• The body. Fractures, especially of the hip or forearm, pain, problems from long periods of not moving, and an unsteady walk.
• Daily life. Loss of independence, changes to the daily routine, hospital costs and seeing friends less.
• Confidence. Fear of falling again, frustration, embarrassment about needing a walking aid, and lower self-esteem.

Source: HealthHub, ABCs of Falls: Consequences of Falls in the Elderly (Health Promotion Board), read on 7 November 2026.

Does a Fall Affect Life Expectancy?

Families search for this after a fall, and it is a fair question. The Health Promotion Board says women in Singapore have an 18% lifetime risk of a hip fracture and men about 6%. It adds that a hip fracture can lead to loss of function and mobility, and that studies show more deaths in the year after a fracture.

HomeWise does not give survival figures for any one person. Their doctor can explain what a particular injury means for them. What a family can change is the risk of the next fall, which the next section covers.

The Week After: Preventing the Next Fall

The Health Promotion Board suggests three things:

1. A review with the doctor. Ask about eyesight and about medicines that can cause drowsiness or unsteadiness.
2. Regular activity. Strength, balance and flexibility exercises at least 3 days a week, after asking the doctor what suits them.
3. A safer home. Remove or secure rugs, tape cords to the wall, clear clutter, fix uneven steps, fit grab bars and light the way to the toilet.

Source: HealthHub, Preventing Falls at Home (Health Promotion Board), read on 7 November 2026.

Where HomeWise can help:

• Doctor Visit Notes: write down when and how they fell before the appointment, and keep a clear note of what the doctor says.
• Fall prevention checklist: one page to print or save as a PDF and tick off room by room.
• Home Safety Care Plan: what to fix in the flat, and in what order.
• HDB EASE: grab bars and slip-resistant floors, installed by HDB in HDB flats.
• Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund: walking aids, shower chairs and commodes, after an assessment.
• Fall alert devices: for a parent who is alone for part of the day.

Common Questions After a Fall