8 Symptoms to Look for After an Elderly Fall

If you have an older loved one in your life, it is important to know how to care for them. That includes making sure they are staying safe since they are more likely to fall and sustain severe injury than younger people.

A fall could mean severe pain, soft tissue injuries, broken bones, spinal injuries, or even a traumatic brain injury. With that in mind, your loved one could need immediate medical attention. 

While there are plenty of cases where you can see that they need to seek medical treatment, there may be times when you are not sure about the severity of your loved one’s injuries. Even minor injuries can become more severe if they are not treated, so a good assessment of their fall-related injuries matters. Research shows that approximately 20% of falls in the elderly lead to serious injuries. (source: CDC)

8 Warning Signs to Look for After an Elderly Fall

Here are eight of the biggest symptoms to look for after a fall, so you can decide if your loved one should seek medical attention immediately or if they can rest and feel better without medical intervention.

1. Lacerations & Bruising

Lacerations, cuts, and bruises are some of the most common slips and fall accident injuries, especially in older adults. These injuries can also occur from walking into furniture or the corner of a countertop, preparing food, or in countless other ways.

Most small lacerations and small bruises can be easily treated at home unless your elderly loved one has a bleeding disorder or other condition that could mean cuts and bruises require them to seek medical attention promptly.

Size and Placement Matter

After a slip-and-fall accident, the size and placement of the cuts or bruises matter. If your loved one has a large abdominal bruise and stomach pain, for example, that can be much more of a concern than smaller bruises on their arm.

Additionally, lacerations in areas that are difficult to heal can be problematic, especially if the cut is deep or does not want to stop bleeding. It is better to err on the side of caution by reaching out to a medical professional or going to the emergency room, just to make sure your loved one is safe.

2. Behavioral Changes

Behavioral changes after a fall are a definite cause for concern. These changes can be caused by traumatic brain injuries and other types of head injuries or even internal bleeding. Medical assistance is a good idea anytime an older adult exhibits a notable change in behavior, especially after a fall.

It is also possible that serious internal bleeding, a stroke, or other problems are causing the changes and may have also caused the fall itself. Medical attention is the key to discovering the severity of the problem.

3. Neck & Head Injury

Head injury symptoms to look for after a fall include headaches, dizziness, and difficulty moving the neck, with or without neck pain. Light may be too bright, as well, and the person’s pupils could be uneven or not reacting properly.

If you notice symptoms like this with a fall injury, it is important to rule out a severe head injury. You will want to seek medical treatment immediately and get a professional medical evaluation to rule out other medical issues.

4. Swelling, Tingling, & Restricted Mobility

When elderly loved one has a slip and fall accident, they can easily end up with broken bones, a head injury, spinal cord injuries, or other serious injury symptoms. If you see that a joint or other area is swollen, they have tingling in their extremities, or they are dealing with restricted mobility, they need medical care.

Avoiding Care Can Lead to Chronic Pain

Without medical treatment, there can be ongoing pain along with a broken bone or other injury that does not heal right. Even if the senior is not interested in seeking medical attention or does not want to “bother” anyone, it is important to have the affected limb or other area examined and treated.

5. Irregular Heartbeat

Having an irregular heartbeat can be the cause of a fall, but it can also happen after a fall, as well. A medical evaluation will help determine the cause of the irregularity, so it can be treated and reduce future risks.

Sometimes, an irregular heartbeat can cause dizziness or even a temporary loss of consciousness. In those instances, a fall could be quite common. If your elderly loved one has fall injuries that are not easily explained, or they start falling often, a medical professional can help discover what caused the initial accident and work to prevent future fall accidents.

6. Tenderness & Pain

Acute injuries such as hip fractures, back injuries, neck injuries, wrist injuries, and soft tissue damage can cause pain and tenderness in the area. Many fall-related injuries create discomfort and can even lead to nerve damage or serious pain that lingers for a long time.

Anytime an elderly person falls and has clear injury symptoms such as sharp pain or tenderness, it is wise to take them to the emergency room, urgent care, or their main healthcare professional.

Depending on how they fell and whether they struck anything on their way down, they could even have internal injuries that need treatment right away.

7. Vomiting & Incontinence

Stomach pain (with or without vomiting), incontinence, or both can also be signs of internal injuries, a brain injury, or other concerns. If your older loved one is experiencing either one or both issues after a slip and fall, they could have head injuries or significant health problems.

You need to seek medical attention promptly for these kinds of symptoms since they could indicate severe injuries. Internal bleeding, for example, could cause sharp pain and vomiting. Additionally, a stroke or related health problem could cause a fall and vomiting or incontinence issues.

8. Vision Problems

Vision problems are another symptom to look for after a fall. They can be signs of a stroke or head injury and should be taken seriously. Diminished vision is common in elderly people, but a traumatic brain injury from a fall can quickly transform low vision into almost no vision.

Additionally, you want to seek medical treatment for any serious injury that causes vision problems. There are multiple ways that vision could be affected, and traumatic brain injuries are not the only serious problems that affect the eyes. If your loved one cannot see properly after a fall, get them immediate medical attention.

Causes of Falls in the Elderly

There are many types of fall injuries in the elderly. Slip and fall accidents are more common and frequently cause more serious injuries in older people.

While it is not possible to prevent every fall, knowing the most common causes can help you look for ways to make your elderly loved one’s living environment safer.

Anything can cause someone to fall, but the most common causes of falls in older adults include:

• Age-related loss of muscle mass
• Balance problems
• Loss of vision, hearing, and reflexes
• Medical conditions
• Some kinds of medications
• Pain or other issues with the feet
• Cognitive impairment
• Rushing, such as when experiencing incontinence
• Safety hazards like clutter or uneven surfaces

Addressing any medical conditions that could lead to a slip and fall accident is an important way to reduce the chances of head injuries, broken bones, and other problems for your aging loved one.

A fall injury can lead to chronic pain, fear of living alone, or even a brain injury, so it is vital to make changes that keep the risk of falling as low as possible.

How to Prevent Falls

Along with knowing the symptoms to look for after a fall and the leading causes of falls in the elderly, it is important to learn how to prevent falls from occurring and causing severe pain and other serious injuries.

Prevention can make a significant difference in your elderly loved one’s quality of life. Here are a few ways to reduce their chances of taking a fall.

Get Moving to Lower Fall Risk

One great way to prevent falls is to stay active. If your aging family member or loved one is very sedentary, encouraging them to get moving can help. They may not want to exercise, but there are all kinds of enjoyable activities that do not require running or going to the gym.

While it is true that staying physically active can reduce falls accidents, anyone who has not exercised in a while or has health concerns should still have a medical evaluation before they get started. That can help determine what level of exercise is safe.

Building muscle strength is crucial for maintaining overall health and mobility, especially for older adults, and can be effectively achieved through activities like walking, swimming, strength training, and balance exercises, as well as climbing stairs, using resistance bands, practicing yoga, and engaging in sports such as golf or bowling, provided there are no significant balance issues. (source: STEADI resources)

Test Eyes and Hearing

Vision and hearing loss can both lead to a higher chance of falling, and the broken bones, medical expenses, and other issues that come along with it. Even if your loved one does not notice symptoms, seeking medical attention to determine their current level of health can provide valuable information to work with.

Another reason to seek medical attention for eyes, hearing, and cognitive abilities is that finding a small problem can sometimes lead to diagnosing a larger issue. If that is the case, it could avoid serious injuries in the future and reduce the chances of a falling accident that could lead to neck pain, head injuries, and other problems.

Take More Time to Complete Activities

There is no reason to try to power walk through the day’s activities. It is okay to move slower and be more methodical when walking or doing other tasks. Especially if your loved one already has chronic pain or any mobility issues, encouraging them to take their time can help reduce fall injuries.

They may also need an assistive device like a cane or walker, especially when the weather is bad, or they are in an unfamiliar place. If you notice symptoms that indicate your loved one may be struggling with balance or movement, getting them the right support from a medical professional can make a significant difference.

Consider Alcohol and Medications Carefully

Drinking alcohol can cause slip and fall injuries, soft tissue damage, back injuries, and other harm due to unsteadiness. It is often best for your loved one to avoid alcohol, especially if it interacts with any of their medications. Also, slip and fall injuries can also come from some negative medication interactions.

If you are concerned about slip and fall accidents because your loved one is taking medications that can impair them, it is important to help them work with their doctor to address those concerns. The goal is to make it easier for your loved one to avoid a fall accident so they do not need medical treatment for an injury.

Services That Can Help

Seeking medical attention after a fall accident is extremely important, whether your elderly loved one has a broken bone, head injuries, stomach pain, referred pain, or other serious injuries. You may also find that a fall accident means it is time to start thinking about additional care for your family member.

In-home care services, for example, may be able to help prevent a more serious injury in the future. Because a slip and fall accident can lead to so many different issues, and cause your loved one to seek medical attention, the goal is to keep them from falling.

Having in-home services to watch over your aging family member can mean fewer slip-and-fall injuries and a lower chance of your loved one needing physical therapy or other treatments to get back to moving again. Treating their injuries carefully will help them heal faster, but the best choice is to avoid the injuries entirely.

Even if they only suffered minor injuries from a fall, you do not want your loved one to keep falling in the future. Additional slip and fall accidents can mean more serious injuries, and not all broken bones heal well. That could leave your loved one with chronic pain and other discomfort that could reduce their quality of life.

Senior Care & Independent Living Options

Senior care is essential to helping older adults continue to live their best lives, and CarePatrol helps families find the right senior care and independent living options they need. Our local experts can help you navigate the transition for your family members, so they can settle into their new routine and feel safe and secure again. 

We will help you find the right care option, whether it be in-home care, a nursing home, or anything in between. Contact your CarePatrol Local Senior Care Advisor to get started.