Des Moines Senior AdvisorWhat should we do right after a parent falls?
Get a medical evaluation even if there is no obvious injury, ask the doctor to review medications, vision, blood pressure and strength, and ask whether physical therapy or a home safety evaluation is appropriate.
Head injuries in people on blood thinners need prompt attention. If the fall led to a hospital stay, read our hospital discharge guide for the Medicare rules that decide whether rehab is covered.
How do we make a parent's home safer after a fall?
Remove loose rugs and clutter, add grab bars and a shower chair, improve lighting on stairs and at night, keep everyday items within reach, and consider a medical alert device worn at all times.
Central Iowa winters add ice on steps and driveways; arrange snow and ice removal before the first storm. The Elderly Waiver can pay for an emergency response system and home modifications for eligible Iowans 65 and older.
When does a fall mean it is time for assisted living?
When falls repeat despite therapy and home changes, when your parent cannot get up or call for help alone, or when the fear of falling keeps them from moving around the house.
Iowa assisted living gives each tenant a 24-hour one-touch emergency call system and staff on site day and night. A tenant who routinely needs two people to stand or transfer, though, exceeds Iowa's limits and needs a nursing facility.
Will Medicare pay for help after a fall?
Medicare covers the hospital care, a skilled nursing facility stay after a qualifying three-day inpatient admission, outpatient or home physical therapy, and home health for a homebound patient, but not ongoing hourly help at home.
DIAL lists 20 home health agencies, 11 hospices and 3 inpatient hospice houses with offices in the six metro counties. For hourly help, families pay privately or use the Elderly Waiver or PACE.
How do we lower the chance of another fall in a central Iowa winter?
Keep walks indoors on icy days, use ice grips on shoes, salt steps and drives before storms, keep a charged phone or alert device on the person, and ask the doctor about vitamin D, vision and footwear.
Many falls happen on the way to the bathroom at night, so add motion-sensor night lights and keep the path clear. Balance and strength programs, such as those offered through senior centers and physical therapy clinics around the metro, measurably reduce falls when done regularly. If a parent lives in a two-story house, consider moving the bedroom to the main floor for the winter.
Side by side
| After a fall, do | After a fall, avoid | |
|---|---|---|
| Medical | Get checked, even without visible injury | Assuming no pain means no injury |
| Home | Fix the hazards that caused the fall | Moving furniture back the way it was |
| Alerts | A medical alert device worn all the time | A device left on the nightstand |
| Planning | Talk about what would happen next time | Waiting for the next fall to decide |
Drawn from Iowa Code chapter 231C, 481 IAC chapters 67 and 69, Iowa HHS and DIAL publications, CareScout, CMS, the VA and the aging agencies cited in the text; our editorial standards explain how we check them.
