The recent winter weather across the Cariboo has made for wary walking conditions and unexpected falls.
Kelly Wilson, Quality Consultant for falls and injury prevention with Interior Health, shares what you should do should you notice someone who has taken a fall and can’t get back up.
“Especially somebody who is elderly falls, one thing you should not do is haul them back to up their feet.”
“So number one, leave them where they are. When they’re down, that’s where they’re safe. They may go into shock, so you want them to remain seated, we don’t know why they fell in the first place.”
“The thing to thing to do if they can’t get back up is to stay with that person and call 9-1-1.”
Wilson says although falls usually significantly impact seniors, young people can also be at risk.
“Usually it’s not something like a hip fracture, the more common injuries are head injuries.”
“So when we’re talking about things like ice skating, or playing games like hockey or down-hill skiing we want to make sure that people are wearing their protective gear and helmet to ensure that they stay safe while doing an activity,” Wilson says.
“Head injury can be catastrophic and change people lives forever.”
Interior Health encourages that people of all ages wear footwear with non-slip tread and ice grippers over footwear when the temperature is below freezing to prevent an outdoor fall.