falls in older people

If you have trouble negotiating stairs at home please consider a stair lift, if moving to a flat/bungalow is out of the question. Well worth the expense if not qualifying for the NHS/Social Services one. It could make your life a lot easier and safer.

I fell over on the coastal path in Devon and broke my leg. Since then I have fallen about five or six times. My GP referred me to the Falls Clinic and I had some tests, all of which I passed with flying colours. Apparently there's nothing wrong with me. Stranger still my sister is exactly the same after a broken ankle!

Franbern with your history of falls, I can well understand your caution but surely your way of coming down stairs would only apply if the stairs are a straight run of even steps. For any one with steps that turn or twist, going backwards and not seeing how wide the step is or which direction it goes could be a recipe for disaster.

Regarding stairs, I would advise not just holding on to bannister/hand rail, but coming down backwards. I do this, one step at the time (like a toddler), but it definitely is by far the safer way of descending the stairs, although slow.
Must say that I am looking forward to moving into a flat, hopefully later this year, as the stairs are becoming an increasing nightmare, both up and down.

Franbern that sounds horrific (2nd Feb.) .
Izabella you're very open about your Altzheimers - it's good because it helps those of us who might be on the verge ourselves.
I'm not a medical expert but think unsteadiness could be related to changes in old age in the fluid in the inner ear balance mechanism.

I have always done this and was the "clumsy child." (Cross lateral) However I am now experiencing unsteadiness and have overblanced several times. It seems to be linked to my Alzheimers and is very different from the my normal clumsiness.

I have always been prone to falls. The worst one I had was the day after my 40th birthday in 1981. Nothing to do with ageing, I stood on a small chest of drawers to hang up a mobile on the ceiling, and it tipped and I fell, with the corner catching me between my ribs tearing into a kidney.
I knew straightaway I had done something serious, as I actually felt all the blood leave the surface of my skin as it rushed to an internal injury. But I was in great pain, and it was a day of an ambulance strike. I managed to get to the telephone to call a friend who rushed round and called the GP. There was no external bleeding. Even with him on the phone saying it was serious, no Green Goddess was available, so my friend drove me to hospital in my own car with me in dreadful pain all the way. No triage back then and no sign of blood, although I was afterwards told that I was as white as the hospital sheets. Only when hubbie came and actually grabbed a doctor by the arm, dragging them into the cubicle I had been placed did things start to happen.
Was in hospital for a couple of months, and slow recovery. Debate as to whether or not to remove seriously damaged kidney, but final decision to leave it in place as there was then evidence of kidneys renewing themselves. It was only later I realised how fortunate I had been not to have died. That kidney has worked since then, but is no so Kaloided that it hardly functioning.
Many other falls over the years, none quite as bad as that, but some still pretty frightening.
My latest was 2nd February this year, when I tripped backwards over a gymnastic springboard, which I thought was to side of me and was not. As I went down I knew straight away I had hurt my back, but was sure it was just soft tissue injury, took pain killers (which I always carry) and managed to get through the day and drive myself back home.
By the following morning was in such great pain and unable to move, my daughter came in and wanted to take me to local A &E, and I told her I was not well enough to go to A&E (Condemnation of what it is like there). So, struggled through next few days, sleeping on recliner chair and taking lots of strong pain killers and using electric heat pad. Slowly started to improve, but only after nearly two months someone medically qualified saw me for another condition and wrote to my GP saying I needed an MRI scan.
When I had that it showed I had caused a wedge fracture of my spine. No wonder I was in such agony. GP assumed that this means I have osteoporosis, and has put me on lots of extra calcium and referred me to a Specialist.
I do not think I have, the very many times I have had quite spectacular falls, I have only broken something once, (my collar bone, when I fell out of the loft - that was some 24 years ago when I was in my late 50's).
I had a spectacular fall when one of my g.children was born. Went to hospital to visit, took lift one story too high, so decided to come down stairs, missed footing on last step and fell forward, hitting locked ward door with great crash, nurses, etc rushed out to find me sitting on floor surrounded by remains of bouquet, my walking stick and a bump on my head which was growing as they watched. They wanted to take me to A&E but I said I wanted to see my daughter etc. So, they took me into her room in a wheelchair,. Bump grew large enough to stand a cup on, but managed to drive the 70 miles back home and get in my own bed,. Following morning, could not open either of my eyes.
This was remembered last weekend when I was visiting her, and managed to trip over the doorstep as my g.daughter (now aged 9) opened the door. Gashed one leg and bruised other. My daughter said that I did not need to give an example as to how easy I manage to fall.
Not really clumsy in other way, but have now agreed to sign up to having a wrist band attached to phone to call for help should I have any other falls.

Annodomini and Fennel, that is good advice about the danger of sandals. Fortunately light weight and airy trainers are nice instead of sandals. I think I will take your advice even though my walks have now advanced to rides on my mobility scooter.

When I had fall no 2 my son asked if it was a went -flying fall or a fall for no apparent cause. This was a very good question as became more apparent after fall no 3, Fall no 2 was a went- flying fall caused by an uneven paving stone. Fall no 3 was for no apparent cause and it took me half a year to recover from it. The only professional who thought about possible reasons was the 111 doctor who told me to discontinue one of my blood pressure meds which I did and have done to this day. My own GPs don't seem to have the time or the inclination to investigate a fall by an aged person.

I may say that the 111 nurse practitioner was very efficient and thorough in her examination.

The most absorbable way to take calcium is through eating calcium rich foods; dairy products and (I think) green leafy vegetables.

I'm glad I read about the future learn course here as I have now started it, rather belatedly, and completed the first week.
Still suffering from the effects of a fall three weeks ago when I cracked a rib, so now being extra cautious about where and how I put my feet.

I have had four falls in six weeks - none for the last three weeks. Each fall seemed to have a different reason. In the first (outside Aldi) I got a gashed eyebrow, necessitating a trip to hospital by ambulance; bruised ribs twice and finally a cracked rib which is still giving me pain. When I saw the GP he gave me a thorough neurological examination and couldn't find any good reason for the falls, but has referred me to the falls team at a local hospital. So watch this space!

ps the course was from futurelearn, as Thorntrees says.
I might have mentioned it before, but I'm 83 . Still battling on.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p_JxDGVqXg

Thanks NanKate. I bought some calcium tablets a few weeks ago, but haven't started to take them yet. Like you, I'm already taking several others for various reasons.
My falls have all been outside (up to now.).
btw in the end I did join the online course about falling from Newcastle University, but didn't find it very helpful. Probably because I'm useless on these internet things and couldn't follow all the links.

I also did the futurelearn course and found it very useful. Whilst I try not to think of myself as old(70) I do know that I am not as steady on my feet as I was so I take more care when out and about particularly on stairs and steps. I’ve also persuaded DH that we need to put a light on at night when up to the loo. I sometimes think we are our own worst enemies when it comes to falls as we don’t like to admit we are not as sprightly as we used to be- well I don’t anyway!!

The Jury was Out Fennel on taking Vit D calcium tablets. I have been prescribed them as I am on steroids.

I recently completed the FREE course run by Future Learn called something like Ageing well- Avoiding Falls. It's bound to be run again and I felt was useful.

To sum up its advice was Keep Moving, only use walking aids especially for you not what others have lent you, leave nothing on the stairs that you could trip over, always hold the handrail. Wear good fitting slippers. Make sure rugs are in places you can't trip over them. Avoid tripping over animals. Don't climb steps to get things out of cupboards.

It said it you took 4 or more tablets a day you are more likely to fall. Well I have been prescribed about 6 different tablets a day so I can't do anything about that.

If you go to the loo in the night sit on the side of bed for a moment so that you don't keel over for getting up too quickly. Make sure you have low lighting to see you way to the loo.

The course showed how to get up when you fall over.

Hope that helps.

As I see it , the main risk of falling at our age (apart from lacking confidence), is broken bones.
Especially hips.
I wonder if it would help to take calcium supplements, to keep up bone strength? Does anyone do this?

I had a frightning and shocking near miss a few weeks ago , got up one morning and going downstairs, one cat darted right in front of me and I missed my footing and went forward head first, knowing that he does this (in fact they all do, but he is particularly bad) I had the forethought to hold onto the bannister, I wrenchd my arm and shoulder but I dread to think what would have happened had I not been holding on

I was bemused to see,after a night in hospital,that my discharge note said "risk of falling"("confirmed").I asked my GP about it but he couldn't shed any light. He said it was just one of the things they write along with "moderate frailty".I have had several falls but nothing that has needed medical aid so there is nothing in my notes.I told him that my risk of falling was directly due to the uneven pavements in the local town

“Our sense of balance gets worse” - you can say that again (so to speak), Fennel!

I used to do ballet, for heaven’s sake, and I could keep my balance standing in swaying, bumpy buses when everyone around me was on the verge of falling. It’s all gone. I did pretty much get over the fall I reported here in October, and can now walk with a small folding walker, and look after myself. I didn’t move back to my big old house, though. My son found me a nice flat that needs little maintenance and has help available if needed.

Even so, three weeks ago I managed to fall flat on my face in the bathroom. I think I was very lucky. No broken bones, no broken teeth, wasn’t wearing my glasses so didn’t break those, no permanent damage. Just two very spectacular black eyes (almost better), a bruised forehead and bruised jaw. I didn’t go to A&E because I hadn’t lost consciousness, and didn’t fancy sitting around for hours in the middle of the night. I got away with it.

The video seems to have been removed from the report of Dylan's 'trip'.
It's a pity because you could see how he tried to regain his balance by moving his right arm, which helps to understand how our sense of balance gets worse in old age.
One of the reasons for falling.

I fell and broke my wrist very badly a few years ago. It got me and friends talking about the language we use ...
From ‘fell over’, to ‘had a fall’ to (ugh!) ‘had one of her falls’ as we get older and wobblier!

I find myself reaching for (funky) trainers more and more if I know I am going to be walking more than the shortest distances such as car to the door. I have heels-none very high, all very comfortable, but my confidence has just gone.
Fortunately there are some great trainers out there!

Two years ago I had two falls while out, no particular reason, not wet pavement, no tripping up etc. Being me I started worrying why it was happening, but I changed my shoes and it didn't happen again. So from then on it has been sturdy shoes with straps for me!