Anyone, regardless of age, can become injured in an accident that involves a slip and fall. However, due to a number of different factors, the consequences of a slip-and-fall accident can often be more severe for the elderly. If you are a senior citizen in Pennsylvania concerned about what may happen to you after a fall, the National Institute on Aging has some suggestions about what you should do following a slip-and-fall accident.
One of the most important concerns after a slip and fall is the ability to call for help if you need it. This can represent a challenge if you live alone. It may be helpful to invest in an emergency response system which allows you to summon assistance with the push of a button. Otherwise, it may also be a good idea to carry a cellular phone with you at all times so you can call 911 if needed.
If you do fall, take a moment to recover from the initial shock by remaining still on the ground for a few moments. Take a few deep breaths to calm yourself. If you believe that you may be hurt, do not try to get up, as the effort may potentially make any injury worse. When in doubt, remain motionless and call someone for help.
If you have determined that you are not injured, you can attempt to rise. It is important to do this very slowly. Start by rolling over onto your side and then, after a moment to bring your blood pressure back into equilibrium, bring yourself to your hands and knees.
You should use the support of a steady chair to aid you in standing. If there is no such chair nearby, crawl on your hands and knees until you find one. With your hands on the seat of the chair, bring yourself into a kneeling position with one knee remaining on the floor and bent and one foot slid forward and resting flat on the floor. From there, you can rise high enough to bring yourself to a sitting position on the chair.
The information in this article is not intended as legal advice but provided for educational purposes only.
