falls in older people

ps I should have searched first - there are a couple of other threads on this.

I find it an interesting use of language that up to a certain age – not quite sure when but maybe in the fifties – people fall over. They trip over toys left on the floor, slip on wet vinyl, fall over the cat, skid on dog mess in the street, slide down a wet hill, etc. Then, as they get older, they "have a fall". Does anyone check whether there was a direct cause for their falling over – a rumpled rug, shoes left just inside the door, a loose sole on a slipper and so on? It's as if once we get to a certain age we can expect to keep toppling over like ninepins.

I ‘had a fall’ a month ago, and after three weeks in hospital am now in a rehab unit full of other people who had ‘had falls’. It was a shock to me, as I was careful how I moved and was totally convinced I would never fall. But I just collapsed. I didn't trip over anything, there was no reason other than weakness. I didn’t break any bones, but am incapacitated in several ways.

I can do more than I could but still can’t walk independently, shower or wash my hair. I’m not enjoying this.

A couple of years back I had a farm accident which caused me to fall from a height onto my shoulder which I broke in two places. Recovery was complicated and sporadic, depending upon various pieces of advice, but most health professionals treated me like someone now at much greater risk of a second fall (and it's true that the fear of ever doing that again made me much less relaxed about icy puddles or darkened stairways). A key factor in my recovery and subsequent return of confidence was when I discovered a free online course on Falls provided through the University of Newcastle under the umbrella of an organisation called FutureLearn.
www.futurelearn.com
The course involved a couple of hours a week and a friend from Canada signed up too so we were able to support each other, though we didn't really need it as there was plenty of support from other participants and the facilitators.
At the time, I was quite dismissive of some of the information on balance, hearing, eyesight, hazards and even medicine side effects - because mine was a fluke fall and nothing to do with my state of health etc - but I have since found ALL that advice useful, if not for me then for some of the elderly relatives about whom I care deeply.
I have also learned that you can't have too much help and advice to stay healthy at this age as never again would I want to lose the use of a limb, however temporary. My whole life went on hold for nearly a year and I really learned how many great friends I have ... most of all my DH who became a reluctant, but wonderful, lady's maid.
I know that the course has been run again at least once since I did it and I can't see it on the current list but it might be worth looking at Futurelearn as they send emails regularly letting us know which courses are running.

If anyone is struggling in the aftermath of a bad arm break, the good news is that I have made a complete recovery, though I had to come up with some of my own solutions, including intense massage and swimming. Please pm me if you are down about lengthy recovery as I don't think there is enough aftercare support from the stretched medical services and I know it can be a long haul. Sometimes, you just need to know there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I ve had three ‘falls’ in the last few years all for a valid reason first on ice , second on wet leaves and third put my foot in a pot hole each time I was up almost before I went down looking to make sure no one was looking my best friend is a great faller she reckons her ‘biggish’ boobs make her topple over

I've also had a few falls over the last 10 years - far more than I did in my earlier ones although I do remember slipping in Binns once in my boots as it had been raining and going full length down the aisle - think the water slide in theme parks Luckily my dad was further down the store to retrieve me and save me from huge embarrassment!

Calednail - I tried to register for that course from Newcastle, but something went wrong and I lost contact with them I might try again.
The website that I linked to also has quite a bit about the various possible reasons for falling or tripping. And emphasises that each individual is different and needs a personlaised assessment.

I started off 'falling over' when I was a child and always had grazed knees.
I continued to 'fall over', 'fall down' and now I suppose, at my advanced age, I 'have falls'.
I have two left feet, don't always concentrate properly because I am thinking of the next thing I need to do, and don't notice obstacles.
I fell over once in town when I was advising an old lady to be careful on the wet leaves. Next thing I knew I skidded on said leaves and she was leaning over me asking if I was all right

There is no hope, I really must try harder.

I had a fall a few years back which had a knock on effect that included my balance. It's only now that with special exercises my balance is improving and as a result I'm walking better as I'm also doing special exercises to strengthen my leg muscles. I found that having a fall really knocked my confidence and that's one of the reasons why it's taken so long to get better. I still avoid going down stairs in 'strange' places without help though

Hi Fennel,
I'm sorry you lost contact. You can still look at the course aims and structure (weeks running and hours of study predicted) without signing up and I know my Canadian friend has done a few more on the health side. I'm trying to get Scottish History in perspective just now, but just one online course at a time.

The Aging Well:Falls course started off by asking if falls were a natural part of getting older? Then we were taken through all the different reasons why people fall and some of the causes were so simple, preventable and fixable. Most were nothing to do with age...except where age made it difficult to access treatment. Others required only an open-minded health professional (and there were quite a few who joined the course and said at the end they were going to try to improve or change things in their area).
I'm going to write to FutureLearn to ask if they have any idea when the course will run again. They are very approachable and helpful, but I fell off a few courses at first because I had misunderstood or lost something. If I wasn't needing the history facts so much just now, the one I'd sign up for is Creating Moments of Joy for People With Altzheimers. Most of the courses are free unless you want to keep the course material longer than two weeks. I just took notes as I went along. Old habits die hard.

I hope I'm not breaking any Gransnet rules here, but I'm sure they'll tell me if I am. If not, I will post if and when I find the Falls course will run again. All the best to you Fennel.

Goldengirl the loss of confidence was a major hindrance for me too. Even though swimming was one of the best exercises in the later stages, I was terrified of the walk from changing rooms to pool until I discovered the steadying power of flip flops (which are not really recommended for ex-fallers). I know I came across as what we would call in Scotland a Big Feartie and I think - at every stage - we have to remind ourselves how much courage and grit we are showing in the aftershock of a fall.

Csaledonail - very interesting, thank you.
I do know that I am more 'wobbly' since I had a broken ankle (a preventable fall had I been concentrating ).

sorry - Caledonail!
even my fingers won't obey.

Caledonail4- hear hear, it takes a lot of courage to recover from falling over. I wasn’t even that old when I tripped over a raised tree rout in a dark street. I didn’t break my fall with my hands- in fact the newspaper and bunch of flowers I was holding in each hand were unscathed. My face took the whole force, resulting in a broken nose, concussion and, worst of all, broken front teeth. For years I was frightened to walk outside, and had some other falling over episodes. I had lots of medical investigations which revealed nothing sinister, except that my posture was poor and I was walking stiffly with my head down, which meant falls were more likely, and I have vertigo. I have much more confidence now, have stopped driving everywhere and enjoy walking, although I am still careful at night. I credit Tai Chi- it has greatly improved my balance, and with it my confidence. My children have commented on my it. I’m sorry Fennel and grandma70 that you have had such horrible experiences, and hope you can find something that will help you recover your confidence. I will look at the website you suggest, Caledonail4 , it sounds excellent. Sorry for such a long post!

Fennel, Grandma70s and others I hope you make a full recovery. I try to remind myself to think before I move.

I also followed the future learn course about falls some time ago and agree that it was very interesting and informative. Future learn is a great free resource for all sorts of interesting courses ,would thoroughly recommend it.I seem to remember that it included some useful tips to improve balance which is often a factor in falls as we get older. I do try to stand on one leg for a few seconds every day which was one of the suggestions(with support close by- eg a chair back). Also making sure to put lights on now the nights are drawing in when going upstairs or getting up in the night,DH is very bad at doing this and I am always nagging him about it. Having a fall, which I did down the stairs some years ago, does knock ones confidence so although I refuse to pander to advancing years I am very cautious when out and about.

Jalima it's completely understandable. I still have to take a deep (shaky) breath at the top of the ramp from which I fell. I would not have had much sympathy before my own fall and still feel a little guilty about that. I'm a much more helpful, patient person. Think of us as a select bunch of hidden veterans who have gone through an experience we'd rather not have had but which gives us the kind of knowledge and skills only an insider can have. And take the word preventable out of your memory, except where you need to apply it in future. One thing I learned from the course was that even the falls experts sometimes forgot to be risk aware and - while sorry for them - I was glad they shared.

Dora thanks for what you've said and I'm sorry to hear about the fall you had and the way you landed. As I said, I think we are a strong, gritty group of survivors who deserve all the understanding going. Even if it is just being kind among ourselves.

I’m fine except for snow and ice then I walk like a penguin

I had a bad fall just over a year ago when the toe of my sandal caught in a rut on the local station platform. Masses of dramatic bruising, a big 'egg' on my head and a broken shoulder sent me off in an ambulance with lights flashing and sirens blaring. I was investigated in A&E for possible reasons for the fall - an ECG to see if I'd had a heart 'blip'. The shoulder healed well in about six weeks and all bruises disappeared quite fast, but for months I had flashbacks of lying on that platform, yelling for help. I am under strict orders from DS1 (bossy!) to watch where I put my feet, and, for the most part, I do. With wonky knees, I also now use a stick when I'm out.

I never say I "had a fall" or even that I "fell over".

I fell twice in the past six months, once because I had put loads of cream on my feet and rushed down the stairs with both hands full and misjudged the end of the step and what with my heels being so smooth I landed on my backside near the bottom of the stairs. Apart from a bruise the size of a dinner plate, I was fine.

On the other occasion, I left the dishwasher door open at floor level, forgot about it and stepped back and went "ass over kettle and onto the floor".

So neither had to do with anything other than my own stupidity.

I meant to add, I'm generally quite careful, holding on to banisters etc.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for all those getting over a fall...

BlueBelle, bought some 'spiky things' that can be fixed to my shoes.

I stopped wearing sandals for that reason,*annodomini*. Now I only wear firmly laced up Skechers outside, Skecher slipons inside.
Dora - your fall sounds terrible . A warning not to be carrying shopping or anything, don't walk with hands in pockets.
I keep meaning to get one of those shopping buggies that you push in front. But then I will look ancient.