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Stay safe from falls

Advice to stay safe from falls. How to check your risk of falling, make your home safer, talk to your doctor about a fall, and how to get up after a fall.

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Find a class

Find a class near you - to help you improve your strength and balance, prevent falls, and keep fit and healthy. Follow these steps.

Tiakina tō hauora

Looking after your health

We all need to maintain strength and balance as we age. Find out ways you can help yourself to stay healthy, prevent falls, and keep living the life you want.

He kōrero mā ngā whānau me ngā kaitiaki

Advice for families and carers

We all need a little extra help to stay healthy as we age. Discover different ways to look after someone you care for by helping them keep fit, maintain their strength and balance, and reduce their risk of falls around the home.

Te taupānga o Nymbl

Nymbl app

Find out more about the Nymbl app – ACC’s handy tool to help older adults maintain their balance as they age.

An older woman with a walking stick being helped to get up from the floor

What to do if you’ve had a fall

A fall can happen to anyone, at any time. Here’s what to do if it happens to you – and the best ways to make sure you get the right help, faster.

Last updated 9 September 2024

Safe from falls

Falling can be a scary experience. It’s important to know what to do if you have a fall so that you can help yourself as best you can.

Things to remember if you have a fall

Try to stay calm enough to assess your situation.
Check yourself for injuries, such as cuts, bruises, and sprains.
If you feel dizzy or weak, stay down until you feel better.
If you have a personal medical alarm with you, use it to get help.
Decide if it’s safe with your strength and surroundings to try and get up.

If you can get up

Use something sturdy, such as a chair or table, to support yourself.
Rest for a while and drink some water. Don’t eat anything or drink more than water if you have a head injury or feel nauseous.

If you can’t get up

Try to get to the phone or call out in a loud voice to attract attention.
Try to crawl to a place where someone can see or hear you.
Make yourself as comfortable as possible until help arrives. Cover yourself with something that can keep you warm if it’s available.
Move your arms and legs gently if you can, to help with blood circulation.

If you have any symptoms that worry you, call 111 immediately. Remember to tell your doctor about the fall, even if you were not injured. Make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible if you think you may have a concussion.

About concussion

Be better prepared for a fall

Making sure you can get help faster

Get a personal alarm. It’s a device you can wear or carry with you and has a button you can press to call for help in an emergency. It sends an alert to trained operators who can talk to you and contact your family, whānau, friends, or emergency services. Having a personal alarm can give you peace of mind and security if you live alone or have a medical condition that may increase your risk of falling.
Keep your telephone within easy reach, even from the floor.
Make sure you have friends, family, and emergency numbers pre-loaded on your phone.
Leave a spare key in a secure place outside, or with someone you trust – so they can let themselves in if needed.
Discuss your plans with friends, family, whānau, or neighbours. It helps if they know where you are if you call them in an emergency.

Practice and build your strength and balance

Regularly practice getting up from the ground, including:
- rolling to your side
- pushing into a seated position
- shifting to hands and knees
- stepping one foot forward
- then standing up.
Do regular strength and balance exercises. Research shows that improving your leg strength and balance can reduce your risk of falling by 29%.

Staying active

Find a Strength and Balance class

The Nymbl app