Tutorials

My mom fell. What now? A calm plan for the first hour, week and month

What to do in the first hour after a parent's fall, why to book a check-up even if she says she's fine, the first week home and the help available across Canada.

Angie Kramer

October 2026

9 min read

My mom fell. What now? A calm plan for the first hour, week and month

The short answer: if your mom can't get up, is in a lot of pain, hit her head or seems confused, call 911. If she's okay, help her up slowly, then book a check-up even if she says she's fine. Over the next few weeks, focus on three things: getting her strength and confidence back, making home a little safer and sharing the jobs so it doesn't all land on you. One fall is a signal, not a sentence. Most people get back to the things they love.

The call usually comes at the worst time. You're at work, or driving the kids somewhere, and your phone lights up: "Mom fell." Your heart drops, and a hundred questions show up at once. Is she hurt? Should I go? Who do I call? What happens now?

You're not the only one asking. About a third of older adults fall each year, and falls are behind nearly nine in ten injury hospital stays for Canadians over 65. Here's a calm, practical plan for the first hour, the first week and the first month, so you know what to do next and your mom stays in charge of her own recovery.

A quick note before you read: we're not doctors, nurses or physiotherapists, and this isn't medical, legal or financial advice. We've pulled it together from official Canadian sources and from families we've talked to, so you know what to do and what to ask. Her doctor and health team have the final say.

Right now: the first hour

Call 911 if any of these are true

She can't get up, or can't move an arm or leg
She's in a lot of pain, especially in her hip, back or neck
She hit her head, is bleeding or seems confused or drowsy
She was on the floor for a long time and is cold or weak

Don't try to lift her yourself. Keep her warm with a blanket, put something soft under her head and stay with her, or on the phone with her, until help arrives.

If she's not hurt

HealthLink BC suggests taking it slowly. Lie still for a few minutes and check how everything feels. Roll onto one side and rest. Get onto hands and knees and crawl to a sturdy chair. Put both hands on the seat, bring one foot forward flat on the floor and rise slowly to sit. Then stay seated for a bit. Even if she feels okay, someone should know what happened.

Not sure? Call 811

In most provinces, 811 connects you with a registered nurse any time of day: Health811 in Ontario, HealthLink BC, Health Link in Alberta and Info-Santé in Quebec. If she bumped her head, especially if she takes a blood thinner, call right away rather than waiting to see how she feels tomorrow.

Even if she says "I'm fine," book a check-up

Here's a number that surprises most families: fewer than half of older adults who fall tell their doctor about it. That matters, because a fall is one of the strongest signs that another one is coming. A check-up after a fall is how her doctor finds what's behind it and fixes what can be fixed.

BC's fall prevention guideline for doctors recommends a full review after a fall. Ask her doctor to look at:

Medications: sleeping pills, some antidepressants and other drugs can cause dizziness. Bring every pill bottle, including vitamins and anything over the counter.
Balance, strength and walking: a few simple tests show where she needs to build back up.
Vision: vision problems double the risk of falling. An eye exam is a quick win.
Bones: a bone density check, since strong bones turn a fall into a bruise instead of a break.
Home: what might have caused the fall, from a loose rug to a dark hallway.

If she resists, try "Would you do this for me, so I can stop worrying?" Most parents will do for their kids what they won't do for themselves.

If she goes to the hospital

About a third of fall-related hospital stays involve a broken hip, and fall-related stays typically last nine days longer than an average hospital stay for people over 65. Planning the trip home starts early, often in the emergency department, so speak up from day one.

Write down names. The doctor, the charge nurse, the social worker or discharge planner, the physiotherapist and the occupational therapist.
Ask what she'll need at home. A walker, a raised toilet seat, a shower bench or help getting in and out of the tub.
Ask about physio and an at-home assessment. An occupational therapist can look at her home and suggest changes before she gets there.
Ask what public help she qualifies for. In Ontario, that's Ontario Health atHome. Other provinces run their own home support programs through the health authority.

Our guide to bringing a parent home from the hospital walks through who's who and the questions to ask before discharge day.

The first week home

The first week is about getting her settled and making the trip from bed to bathroom safe. A few things to line up:

A daily hello. A call or visit each morning, from you or someone close by.
Meals and groceries. Frozen meals, a delivery order or a neighbour who loves to cook.
Rides. To the doctor, physio and pharmacy. Many communities have volunteer driver programs.
A clear path. Move rugs and cords, add night lights between the bedroom and bathroom and keep a phone within reach of the bed.
A grab bar by the tub and toilet. Properly anchored, never a suction-cup bar.
The right equipment. In Ontario, the Assistive Devices Program pays 75% of the approved price of a wheeled walker when she needs it for six months or more, after an assessment by a registered therapist. The Canadian Red Cross lends health equipment for recovery at home in BC, Alberta, New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Yukon, usually for up to three months, with a referral from a health professional.

For a room-by-room list and the tax credits that help pay for it, read making home safer after a fall. To see how the weeks after a fall can be shared out, look at our example plan for after a fall.

The first month: strength and confidence

The fall itself is only part of it. Many people become afraid of falling again, so they move less. Moving less makes muscles weaker, and weaker muscles make another fall more likely. Breaking that cycle is the real goal of the first month.

Physio. In Ontario, government-funded physiotherapy at community clinics is open to everyone 65 and older, and to anyone after an overnight hospital stay. For physio at home, contact Ontario Health atHome. In other provinces, ask her doctor or your health authority what's covered.
Balance and strength classes. Ontario offers free exercise and falls prevention classes for people 65 and older, with no referral needed. Call 811 or search Health811 to find one. Alberta Blue Cross notes that two hours of balance exercises a week can cut the risk of falling by up to 30%.
Small wins. A walk to the mailbox, then around the block, then back to book club. Let her set the goals and celebrate each one.

Most importantly, let your mom lead. It's her recovery. She decides what's on the list, who helps and what comes off it as she gets stronger.

When she says "I'm fine" and doesn't want to talk about it

A fall can shake someone's confidence, and for many parents, saying yes to help feels like the first step toward losing their freedom. That's why "You need to be more careful" usually lands badly. A few things that work better:

Ask, don't tell. "What would make this week easier?" beats "You need help."
Lead with your feelings. "I got scared when I heard" is hard to argue with.
Offer choices. "Would you rather Sam drives you to physio, or should we book a ride?"
Try it for two weeks. A trial feels smaller than a forever decision.

If the conversation keeps going in circles, our guide to talking with a parent who's being difficult explains what's usually going on underneath. And for the exact words, see what to say in 8 hard moments.

You're allowed to feel shaken too

If you're juggling kids, work and now this, you're carrying a lot. Among Canadians in the sandwich generation, 86% say it has affected their health or well-being, and half feel overwhelmed (Statistics Canada, 2022 data). You don't have to do it alone, and you shouldn't.

Share the jobs. List everything that needs doing and put a name beside each one. Our free Who does what tool helps you split it fairly.
Bring in siblings who live further away. They can own the grocery order, the pharmacy refills or the Sunday call. Here's how to help from another city.
Talk it through. Here's how to share the load with your siblings without keeping score.

What it costs, and where to find money help

A lot of the most useful help is free or partly covered:

Free or funded: 811, falls prevention classes in Ontario, government-funded physio for people 65 and older in Ontario, public home support (if she qualifies), equipment programs like Ontario's Assistive Devices Program and the Red Cross loan program.
Tax credits: the federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit covers up to $20,000 a year of eligible home changes for someone 65 or older, worth up to $3,000. Some provinces add their own, including BC, New Brunswick and Quebec. Our home safety guide has the details.
Paid out of pocket: private physio, a handyman for grab bars and rails, an emergency call button she wears and private help at home. Get two quotes, ask what's included and check what her workplace or retiree health plan covers.

Where to start this week

Book the check-up. Bring the pill bottles and a list of what happened.
Fix the path tonight. Night lights, no loose rugs, phone by the bed.
Make one call. 811 or your province's home support program. Write down every name.
Write down what's changed. Our parent checklist helps you spot the gaps, in her words.
List your people. The free Circle builder helps you list the family, friends, neighbours and local pros already in her life.
Not sure where to start? Talk to a navigator. It's free, and a real person from our team will help you sort out the next step.

Keep everyone on the same page

After a fall, the hardest part is often keeping track of who's doing what. Who's driving Thursday? Did anyone order the grab bar? Is Mom eating? In Hello Pearl, your mom's people share one private Circle: one calendar, one chat and a simple morning check-in, so everyone knows she's okay without ten phone calls. She stays in charge of what's shared and who's in. It's free for the person at the centre to start a Circle.

We're not medical, legal or financial experts. This is general information to help you prepare, not advice for your mom's situation. Programs, rules and amounts change, so always check with her doctor, your province and your own advisors. Last checked October 2026.

Sources

Get everyone on the same page.

Start a free Circle and plan everyday life together, with the person at the centre in charge. Not sure where to begin? Talk to a navigator and we’ll help you get set up.

Start your Circle

Talk to a navigator