Reviewed/Updated: November 2, 2026
If your mom or dad has fallen more than once, here's how to respond, what to ask their doctor, and what may help prevent another fall.
Your dad tells you he fell in the bathroom last week.
He says he's fine.
A few days later, he mentions losing his balance in the kitchen. This time, he caught himself on the counter.
Now you're wondering: Is this just part of getting older? Should someone be staying with him? Is it still safe for him to live alone?
Repeated falls deserve attention, but they do not automatically mean your parent can no longer live independently.
The first step is to understand why the falls are happening. Some causes can be treated or managed, and many fall risks can be reduced.
First, make sure your parent isn't injured
If your parent has just fallen, focus on immediate safety before trying to work out why it happened.
Call 911 for a serious injury or emergency symptoms, including loss of consciousness, difficulty waking, new weakness or slurred speech, seizures, worsening confusion, repeated vomiting after a head injury, or severe pain or inability to move safely.
Do not force someone to stand if they may have a fracture or serious injury.
A head injury deserves particular attention in an older adult. Someone can initially seem fine and still have an injury that needs medical evaluation.
If your parent hit their head, seek prompt medical assessment, even if symptoms seem mild. This is especially important if they take blood-thinning medications, which can increase the risk of bleeding in the brain.
The CDC notes that some symptoms of a concussion or traumatic brain injury may not appear until hours or days after an injury.
CDC: Signs and Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury
Even when there is no obvious injury, report a fall to your parent's healthcare provider. Repeated falls warrant a timely evaluation rather than waiting for a routine annual appointment.
Falling is common. But it isn't something you should simply accept.
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than one in four adults age 65 and older fall each year.
That statistic tells us how common falls are. It does not mean they're an unavoidable part of aging.
A fall can be caused by several things working together: reduced strength, dizziness, changes in medication, poor vision, difficulty walking, or hazards around the home.
The important question isn't simply, “Why is Dad getting older and falling?”
It's “What is making Dad fall, and what can we change?”
1. Find out exactly what happened
Before the next medical appointment, try to understand the circumstances of each fall.
Ask your parent:
Where were you when you fell?
Were you getting out of bed, standing up, walking, or using the bathroom?
Did you trip over something, or did you suddenly feel dizzy?
Did your legs feel weak?
Did you lose consciousness or have trouble remembering what happened?
Have you fallen before, even if you weren't injured?
Have you started avoiding certain activities because you're afraid of falling?
The details can provide important clues.
For example, falling shortly after standing may suggest a blood-pressure problem. Tripping repeatedly in the same hallway may point toward an environmental hazard. Losing balance while turning or walking could indicate a gait or balance difficulty.
These are possibilities, not diagnoses. Your parent's healthcare provider should evaluate the underlying cause.
Keep a short record of falls, including dates, locations, symptoms, injuries, and what happened immediately beforehand. Bring it to the appointment.
2. Ask for a fall-risk assessment
If your parent has fallen repeatedly, don't settle for the explanation that they're simply getting older.
Ask their primary care clinician for a fall-risk assessment.
Depending on their history, this may include reviewing:
Walking and balance. Can your parent rise from a chair, turn, walk, and move safely? Would physical therapy help?
Medications. Could any prescriptions or medication combinations contribute to dizziness, sedation, low blood pressure, or impaired balance?
Blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Does blood pressure drop when standing? Could fainting or an abnormal heart rhythm be involved?
Vision and footwear. Are changes in eyesight, foot problems, or poorly fitting shoes affecting stability?
Strength and mobility. Has your parent become weaker or less active? Would an individualized exercise program be appropriate?
Memory and judgment. Are changes in attention, thinking, or awareness contributing to unsafe movements?
The 2022 World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management for Older Adults recommend a comprehensive, individualized assessment for older adults at high risk of falling.
Read the international falls-prevention guidelines
One especially useful question to ask the clinician is:
“What are the two or three biggest reasons my parent may be falling, and what should we address first?”
That helps turn a broad concern into an actionable plan.
3. Have their medications reviewed
Sometimes a medication that is necessary for one health condition can increase fall risk.
Certain medications may cause dizziness, drowsiness, changes in alertness, or blood-pressure drops. The risk can also change when medications are added or dosages adjusted.
Ask your parent's doctor or pharmacist to review everything they're taking, including prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements.
Mention any recent medication changes and when the falls began.
Do not stop or change prescribed medications without medical guidance. The goal is to identify whether safer alternatives, dosage adjustments, or other changes are appropriate.
Medication review is one component of the CDC's evidence-based STEADI fall-prevention approach.
4. Don't underestimate the value of strength and balance training
Families sometimes respond to repeated falls by encouraging an older parent to sit more, walk less, and avoid activity.
That reaction is understandable. Nobody wants another injury.
But becoming less active can lead to weaker muscles, reduced balance, and greater difficulty completing everyday tasks.
Research provides strong evidence that appropriately designed exercise programs can reduce falls.
A Cochrane review of randomized trials found that exercise reduced the overall rate of falls by approximately 23%among older adults living in the community.
Programs emphasizing balance and functional movements were particularly effective. [1]
A 2023 systematic review also found benefits from balance, strengthening, and multicomponent exercise programs for mobility and fall prevention. [2]
This doesn't mean your parent should start doing balance exercises alone in the living room, particularly after recent or repeated falls.
Ask their healthcare provider whether a physical therapist or an appropriate community-based fall-prevention program would be suitable.
The goal is not just to prevent injuries. It's to help your parent maintain the strength and confidence needed to enjoy everyday life.
5. Look at the home through your parent's eyes
A home that was easy to navigate at 65 may become more challenging at 80.
Walk through your parent's home together, paying particular attention to the places where falls have occurred.
Consider:
Bathroom: slippery surfaces, difficulty getting into the tub, lack of appropriate grab bars, poor nighttime lighting.
Bedroom: difficulty getting out of bed, cluttered pathways, reaching for items at night.
Stairs: loose or missing handrails, poor lighting, objects left on steps.
Living areas: loose rugs, electrical cords, unstable furniture, narrow walking paths.
Kitchen: frequently used items stored too high or too low, slippery flooring, carrying heavy items while walking.
Some changes are relatively simple, such as improving lighting or clearing walkways.
Others may require a professional assessment.
An occupational therapist can help evaluate how your parent's abilities interact with their living environment and recommend appropriate changes or equipment.
Importantly, making a home safer doesn't mean removing everything that makes it feel like home.
The aim is to make daily activities easier and safer while preserving familiar routines.
6. Pay attention to the fear of falling
Sometimes the consequences of a fall continue long after the bruises heal.
Your mom may stop going for walks.
Your dad may avoid the stairs or decline invitations to visit friends.
Someone who was previously active may begin spending most of the day sitting because they no longer trust their balance.
Fear of falling can become a problem of its own.
When someone reduces activity significantly, they may lose strength and confidence, making future mobility more difficult.
Ask your parent:
“Is there something you've stopped doing because you're worried about falling?”
Their answer may tell you as much about their quality of life as the fall itself.
A good prevention plan should address both physical safety and confidence, with appropriate professional guidance.
7. Does falling mean my parent shouldn't live alone?
Not necessarily.
A single fall doesn't automatically mean your parent needs full-time supervision. Even repeated falls don't, by themselves, determine the right living arrangement.
What matters is the reason for the falls, whether the risk can be reduced, what assistance is needed, and whether your parent can manage safely between visits.
Consider whether your parent can get to the bathroom safely, prepare meals, move between rooms, use the stairs, and contact someone in an emergency.
Also ask what would happen if they fell while alone.
Would they have a phone or emergency alert device within reach?
Would someone know if they hadn't answered a call?
Is there a reliable local contact who could respond?
An older adult may be able to remain safely at home with the right combination of medical care, rehabilitation, home modifications, family support, and assistance with everyday activities.
Other situations may require more frequent supervision or a different care arrangement.
If you're weighing that decision, read our related guide: Is It Still Safe for My Aging Parent to Live Alone?
8. What can home care actually do?
Home care can be one part of a fall-risk management plan, particularly when your parent is struggling with daily activities.
For example, a caregiver may help with morning routines, bathing, dressing, meal preparation, household tasks, transportation, and companionship.
Having assistance available during difficult activities may reduce the need for your parent to rush, carry heavy items, or attempt tasks that have become challenging.
However, a non-medical caregiver cannot diagnose the cause of falls, replace physical therapy, or guarantee that another fall won't occur.
That distinction matters.
At Sundry Care, we provide private-pay, non-medical home care for older adults and families across Greater Boston.
Our role is to provide dependable assistance with everyday life while families and healthcare professionals address medical and rehabilitation needs.
Sometimes that means a few hours of help during the week. Sometimes it means more consistent assistance as needs change.
The objective isn't to take over your parent's life.
It's to support the activities and independence that matter to them.
9. Where can Massachusetts families find fall-prevention support?
If your parent's healthcare provider recommends a community-based program, Massachusetts has an official starting point.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health maintains a Fall Prevention Information for Older Adults and Caregiverspage, which connects families with fall-prevention education and information about community programs.
You can also ask your local Council on Aging about available strength, balance, or evidence-based fall-prevention classes.
These programs are worth exploring once urgent safety issues have been addressed and your parent's healthcare provider has clarified what activities are appropriate.
What should you do this week?
If your aging parent has been falling, focus on a manageable plan.
Make sure any recent injuries have been appropriately evaluated.
Arrange a timely medical appointment to investigate the falls.
Write down when and how each fall happened.
Request a medication review and assessment of walking, balance, and other relevant risks.
Identify immediate hazards in the areas where your parent has fallen.
Ask whether physical therapy, occupational therapy, or a supervised exercise program would help.
Establish a plan for getting help if another fall occurs.
You don't need to solve every potential problem in one day.
But repeated falls shouldn't simply become something the family learns to live with.
The goal isn't to stop your parent from moving. It's to help them keep moving safely.
An aging parent who falls may start seeing their world become smaller.
Fewer outings. Fewer walks. More time sitting at home. Less confidence.
That doesn't have to be the inevitable outcome.
With the right assessment and support, many fall risks can be addressed.
So instead of asking only, “How do we keep Dad from falling again?” consider another question:
“What would help Dad feel safe enough to keep enjoying his life?”
That's a better place to begin.
Research and supporting sources
[1] Sherrington and colleagues. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane systematic review. The analysis reported a 23% reduction in fall rates across exercise interventions. Read the review.
[2] Sadaqa and colleagues (2023). Effectiveness of exercise interventions on fall prevention in ambulatory community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review with narrative synthesis. Frontiers in Public Health. Research record.
[3] Dautzenberg and colleagues (2021). Interventions for preventing falls and fall-related fractures in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Research record.
[4] World Falls Guidelines (2022). World guidelines for falls prevention and management for older adults. Age and Ageing. Read the guidelines.
[5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older Adult Fall Prevention and STEADI.
[6] Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Fall Prevention Information for Older Adults and Caregivers.
