Who do you phone if a 92 year old falls over in their own home

Welsh_and_proud

My aunty phoned me today to say she cannot get in my grandads house so could I go and open the door as she thinks he's fallen over. When I got in I found him on the floor so I helped him up and my aunty phoned someone and they sent an ambulance but when they arrived one of them wasn't happy that they was called out so who should we phone if he falls over again.

stelee844

Sorry to hear that your grandad has a fall. 

It might be worth investing in something similar to an Amazon Echo where he can send a voice message to a relative to say if he's in trouble (Simplest way - but maybe not for a 92YO) - Alternatively theres some info on the NHS Website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/care-services-equipment-and-care-homes/personal-alarms-security-systems-and-keysafes/

EDIT: I also beleive AGE UK have an online shop where personal alarms can be purchased - These can be linked to a certain telephone number or their central support centre who can contact you should the alarm be triggers/pressed

p00hsticks

Sorry to hear about his fall.

You don't say whether he appeared to be injured ? If you can't get him up, or if he seems to be in much pain or with something broken then I'd say you were right to call an ambulance. But if you've managed to get him up and he wasn't hurt or in pain then I'd say you don't really need to call anyone. 

Perhaps of more concern is how he came to fall in the first place (does he need adaptations in the home such as handrails or use of a walking aid ?) and how long he could have remained on the floor if  your aunt hadn't called round - so consider him getting one of the alarms that stelee844 mentions  above that he could use to raise the alrm if it happens again.

elsien

I wouldn't automatically call an ambulance for a fall.
Only if the person couldn't get themselves up or were injured. 
If you're not sure call 111. 
Why did your aunt call the ambulance - was it because she couldn't get In? Has he considered a key safe to allow people to get in in an emergency?

daveyjp

Any fall of an elderly person who was alone when they fell should be investigated by emergency services.

How do you know they didn't fall and hit their head?  Concussion can take a while to manifest itself.

An emergency responder not being happy with a call out is out of order.

JReacher1

It sounds like your grandad was lying on the floor for a considerable amount of time and couldn’t get up. It seems sensible to have a medical professional check him out. 

xylophone

when they arrived one of them wasn't happy that they was called out so who should we phone if he falls over again.

Your grandfather could not get up alone - he might have hurt himself internally or externally when he fell - he needed to be checked over just in case.

The attitude of the responder was not acceptable.

Is your grandfather showing signs of unsteadiness quite frequently? Has he been seen by his doctor? Is it time to consider whether he is still safe to live alone?

My relative's late relative was fiercely independent and insisted on remaining in the family home but  at 91 and after several falls (one of which caused a glass topped table to break in two, three of which resulted in a broken bone), she had to give it best and accept that residential care was the safest option.

Pollycat

I phoned 999 about 6 months ago for a chap in our local pub whom I believed was having a stroke.

I didn't know him, OH said he'd seen him a couple of times.

When I phoned 999 I was met with a barrage of questions that I couldn't answer because HEY! I don't know anything about this chap other than I've observed his walk to the disabled loo get worse and I really don't think it's down to alcohol.

I don't know if he's been drinking but I'd guess so as we're in a pub.

I don't know if he lives alone.

He's currently sat with his head on his chest so I'm finding it difficult to check his face.

The 'despatcher' or whatever he was called was just barking down the phone at me.

I had to tell him to back off because although I knew he was only doing his job, I was trying to help a complete stranger and asking me questions that could only be answered by someone who knew him and then getting stroppy because I couldn't answer those questions was getting us nowhere.

It was really a very nasty experience.

But the old chap turned up in the pub several months later and came over to thank me. It had been a (minor) stroke and they'd kept him in hospital for a few weeks until they'd got a care package in place.

So...given my experience, I'm surprised that they sent an ambulance without asking a lot of questions.

As Elsien says, I wouldn't automatically call 999 for a fall.

But I might do if the person was frail (my 87 year old Mum for example who is 6 stone wet through and could easily break something in a fall). And possibly for a 92 year old.

I too think the people who attended were wrong to tell the family that they shouldn't have called for an ambulance.

But the OP got this 2nd hand and we're getting it 3rd hand.

It sounds like the OP has a key but not the Auntie?

I think the OP needs to talk to Auntie and check if adequate arrangements are in place in case something similar happens again.

Maybe one of those pendant things that you can press might be useful, although not much good if someone's fallen and knocked themselves out.

Norman_Castle

Pollycat said:

So...given my experience, I'm surprised that they sent an ambulance without asking a lot of questions.

They'd ask the same questions though hopefully not in the same manner. They need to prioritise calls based on the information you give.

elsien

In my case, 90 odd year old relative couldn't get up because she'd dropped to her knees and didn't have the strength to pull herself up. She'd not fallen to the ground, no injury, no ambulance needed. And I had a key to gey in. That's why I  said it depends on circumstances and whether the aunt had called an ambulance because she thought they could force entry .
OP needs to give a bit more information to get a more relevant answer. Such as does he have a pendant alarm, etc.

Pollycat

Norman_Castle said:

Pollycat said:

So...given my experience, I'm surprised that they sent an ambulance without asking a lot of questions.

They'd ask the same questions though hopefully not in the same manner. They need to prioritise calls based on the information you give.

So the 'despatcher' would have decided - based on the answers given - that an ambulance was required.

If the medics who turned up thought that the call out wasn't necessary, they should take it up with the 'despatcher', not the person who made the call in good faith.

However, I notice the OP says:

Welsh_and_proud said:

My aunty phoned me today to say she cannot get in my grandads house so could I go and open the door as she thinks he's fallen over. When I got in I found him on the floor so I helped him up and my aunty phoned someone and they sent an ambulance but when they arrived one of them wasn't happy that they was called out so who should we phone if he falls over again.

I'd be interested to know exactly what was said.