You may be surprised to know that falls are the leading cause of accidents for people over the age of 65, and the main cause of serious injury in hospitals and long-term care facilities. But, there are things you can do to make your hospital stay safer:  If you have a history of falling at home, please tell your nurse. This way, your nurse and the rest of the staff will know to check on you more frequently to make sure you’re okay.  If you are dizzy, weak or unsteady on your feet, please tell your nurse or a member of the hospital staff. Do not get up without help — even if you are just getting up to go to the bathroom.  If you have been told by your doctor or nurse to use a walker or a cane, you should learn to use it correctly and use it all the time.  It’s a smart idea for all patients to ask someone to assist them whenever they get up, and to make use of assistive devices such as walkers, canes and wheelchairs.

By telling the staff you have a history of falling, they can take extra precautions to better ensure that you don’t fall. These precautions may include: 

• Moving you to a patient room closer to a nurses’ station 
• Putting the side rails up on your bed when you are in it 
• Making sure you wear non-skid footwear when you are out of bed 
• Putting night lights in your room so you don’t trip at night 

Each hospital has its own way of identifying patients who have a history of falling. So don’t be concerned if you see paper cut-outs in the shape of leaves or other colorful items on your door and throughout your room — they’re there to help remind everyone about the risk of falling and how to help keep you from falling.

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