At what age does 'Fell Over' become 'Having a Fall'?

She could perhaps ask her GP to refer her to a "Falls Course". I attended a 12 week course because of falls and toppling to the side. It was an enormous help. I am 72 and unsure whether these courses are available to younger people.
The courses run all over the country.

To me ‘had a fall’ hints that the person fell over without good reason-somehow failing to stay upright due to some bodily defect rather than an external agency. Potholes make you fall over, you might ‘have a fall’ due to being unable to cope with a step- just my analysis !

I could always trip over a matchstick, then 18 months ago I tripped over the new pipe from the oil pipe in the garden and broke my hip. When I left hospital I was inundated with calls from companies who wanted me to buy lanyards or wristbands in case 'you have another fall'! I was furious, I am just clumsy and always have benn.

It’s pretty much one and the same, to me. What I learned in the hospital is that chronic feebleness, tripping, falling/fell over, dizzying walk is a Neurological Condition. Time for an evaluation.

And remove all throw rugs in the house, avoid steps when there are ramps, stay away from ice, do not wear mule or slide styled slippers/shoes (better an enclosed style). Things like that. Eyes on the ground!!!

I have AMD and my balance has completely gone. I fell down thev stairs last week and hurt mysel.f

Witzend

Oops, replied to wrong post.

But to ‘Juliet27* I’d just reply that even if there was such a thread, I dare say plenty of GNers won’t necessarily have seen it.

True. The last time was in 2022 and only lasted one page so yes, good to be discussed again.

Why do you all get so het-up about this and feel that the language used is ageist?

I fell, I fell over, I tripped and fell, I had a fall, I took a tumble, all mean precisely the same thing, namely I was going about my avocations in the upright position common to homo sapiens, when I missed my footing and landed in a horizontal position on the ground.

What matters is not the languge employed, but what damage I did to myself!

I can trip over the slightest thing but have a fall? No way. That’s when there’s nothing but the ageing body to blame. I can always find some inanimate, or not in the case of the dog, object to blame. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)

My neighbour (97) has had four incidents described as 'having a fall'. They occurred fairly randomly and were diagnosed as being due to the aging brain. Standing up and walking are very complex and fine tuned in the brain. A lot of neurons need to fire in a co-ordinated fashion and this ability slows significantly in the very elderly, who also lose strength, which means its harder to correct for loss of balance. Falls are serious and one of the main causes of morbidity and disability for elderly people. I guess the point at which falling over becomes 'a fall' will vary from one person to another, but its likely to be when someone loses control of everyday actions and the outcome of falling doesnt lead to a complete recovery and going back to normal in a fairly short space of time. My Mum had a fall at the age of 89, broke her hip and never walked without a frame again. She stood up from kneeling quite quickly, turned round and that was it.

Juliet27

Didn’t we have a thread on this subject a while back?

Does it matter 🤔

Too many falls an one will be offered the opportunity to attend the falls clinic!! Falls suggest poor balance due to old age. So medical report should have mentioned tripped in pot hole whilst running. She can ask the surgery to add her comments to her notes if she wishes.