By MercyAssistedCare.org Care Team. Sources checked October 6, 2026.
The short answer: we suggest keeping one simple log, filling it in soon after every fall or near-fall, and bringing it to the appointment. For each event, write down when and where it happened, what the person was doing, how they felt before and afterward, what medicines or changes were recent, and what injury followed. A clinician can do much more with a pattern than with a memory of “she fell a few times lately.”
Why a written log helps
The CDC reports that more than one out of four older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor. The same CDC page says falling once doubles the chance of falling again. If a fall never reaches the clinician, there is nothing for them to act on.
A log also helps when you are tired or the appointment is short. It keeps you from trying to rebuild dates and details from memory in a waiting room.
What counts as a fall and a near-fall
For this log, use these working definitions. They are our own plain-language definitions for record-keeping, not clinical ones, so ask the clinician how they prefer to define them.
- Fall: the person ends up on the floor, ground, or a lower surface when they did not mean to, whether or not they were hurt.
- Near-fall: the person stumbled, lost their balance, or grabbed furniture, a wall, or you to avoid going down.
Write down near-falls too. They cost nothing to record, and they may show a pattern, such as unsteadiness at the same time of day, before anyone is hurt.
The falls-and-near-falls log: what to record
Copy these fields into a notebook, a notes app, or a printed page. Use one entry per event. Short answers are fine, and “not sure” is a useful answer.
1. When and where
- Date and approximate time
- Room or place (bathroom, bedroom at night, stairs, outdoors, a store)
- Lighting and floor surface (dim, wet, rug, uneven ground)
- Footwear (shoes, slippers, socks, barefoot)
2. What was happening
- The activity (standing up from a chair or bed, walking, turning, reaching, getting out of the shower)
- Whether a walker, cane, or other aid was in use
- Whether anyone saw it, and who
3. How the person felt
- Anything they noticed just before: dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, a leg giving way, tripping on something
- Whether they lost consciousness, even briefly, or seemed confused afterward
- Whether they were rushing, hungry, or very tired
4. Recent medicine and health changes
- New medicines, dose changes, or medicines taken close to the time of the event
- Any new supplement, with the date it was started
- Recent illness, poor sleep, or changes in eating and drinking
The National Institute on Aging includes talking with a health care provider about medication side effects among its tips for preventing falls. Logging what was taken, and when, gives that conversation something concrete to work from. Our guide to a shared caregiver medication list can help you keep that part current.
5. What happened afterward
- Any injury: bruise, cut, pain, swelling, trouble putting weight on a limb
- Whether the person could get up alone, or needed help
- Whether emergency services, urgent care, or the doctor were contacted
- Any change in the days after (new pain, more unsteadiness, changes in mood or confusion)
A sample entry
This example is made up to show the level of detail that is useful. It is not a real case.
- Date and time: Tuesday, about 6:30 a.m.
- Place: Hallway between bedroom and bathroom, lights off
- Activity: Walking to the bathroom after getting out of bed
- Before: Said they felt “a little woozy” when standing
- Outcome: Near-fall. Grabbed the wall, did not go down
- Recent changes: Evening medicine moved to bedtime two days ago
- Injury: None
- Question for the clinician: Could the timing change be related?
Before the appointment
- Read back through the log and circle anything that repeats: the same time of day, the same room, the same activity, or a link to a medicine change.
- Write a three-line summary at the top: how many falls, how many near-falls, and the date range.
- List your top two or three questions.
- Bring the log, the current medicine and supplement list, and the footwear and any walking aid the person uses.
A graphic in the CDC's STEADI patient and caregiver resources says it plainly: “Talk to your doctor about fall risks and prevention.” Your log is a way to make that conversation specific.
Supplements, medicines, and the log
If the person has started or stopped a supplement, put the date in the log. Our article on when to consider a natural supplement notes that some supplements can interact with prescription medicines and recommends checking with a healthcare provider first, especially for people who take medications. This log does not suggest that any supplement causes or prevents falls. Its job is to give the clinician the timeline. Do not stop or change any medicine on your own because of a fall; ask the prescriber first.
Where this log has limits
- It is a record, not a diagnosis. It cannot tell you why someone fell.
- Caregivers will miss events. People often fall when no one is watching, and some do not mention it. Ask gently and regularly.
- The definitions above are ours, and clinics may use different ones.
- A log is no substitute for an assessment. A doctor, physical therapist, or occupational therapist can look at balance, strength, vision, medicines, and the home.
When to get help sooner
- If you suspect a serious injury, contact emergency services right away rather than waiting for an appointment. Write in the log afterward, not first.
- Ask the person's clinician ahead of time which signs after a fall should mean emergency care for this particular person, since that can depend on their health and medicines. Write the answer at the top of the log.
- If the person has fallen more than once, or has had a near-fall that frightened them, consider calling their clinician and sharing the log rather than holding it until the next routine visit.
- If you are unsure whether an injury is serious, call the clinic or a nurse line and describe what you recorded.
What to do next
Start the log today, even if you can only fill in what you remember. Then look at the home with fresh eyes using our guide to fall-risk changes at home: lighting, rugs, footwear, and mobility notes, and add what you find to your questions for the care team.
Sources
- CDC, Facts About Older Adult Falls (checked October 6, 2026)
- CDC, STEADI Patient and Caregiver Resources (checked October 6, 2026)
- National Institute on Aging, Six Tips to Help Prevent Falls (checked October 6, 2026)
This article is general educational information, not medical advice. It is not a substitute for an assessment by a qualified doctor, physical therapist, or occupational therapist. It has not been reviewed by a clinician.