Last week, a parent of someone I have known for years passed away after a brief hospitalization. The cause of death: a fall.
So many times, it is a fall. Or dementia. And, in fact, the parent of someone else I know also died the other day. She had suffered from dementia, although I don't know the exact cause of death.
It's a sad thing when we reach the age when some of the interactions with friends happen when it is time to share news of a death, or when we find ourselves at a viewing or a funeral. I know, intellectually, it will happen more and more as I age, but it can still be a hard adjustment.
For me, it's especially sad when death is due to a fall, because my late mother in law had suffered so many. And my spouse's aunt, who lived to 107, lost much of her independence when she fell and broke her hip at age 101. My sister in law's mother died in 2015, months after suffering a severe head injury from a bathtub fall.
We all face that risk, if we haven't fallen already. If it isn't us, it
is a loved one who has fallen. A mother. A father. An aunt or uncle.
In 2015, I quoted from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Website:
"What outcomes are linked to falls? (Citations for these statistics are available on the website)
- Twenty to thirty percent of people who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries such as lacerations, hip fractures, and head traumas. These injuries can make it hard to get around or live independently, and increase the risk of early death.
- Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- About one-half of fatal falls among older adults are due to TBI.
- Most fractures among older adults are caused by falls....
- Many people who fall, even if they are not injured, develop a fear of falling. This fear may cause them to limit their activities, which leads to reduced mobility and loss of physical fitness, and in turn increases their actual risk of falling."
Exercise. (There's more to it than that, but exercise is a great start.)
In 2015, I took a series of anti-falling classes (which I blogged about back then). There is a wealth of information online, including information on the CDC website.
The seniors in your life (or you, if you are a senior) hopefully have access to various programs in their community. Here are some of ours.
I wish I didn't have to share these obituaries, especially for falling related deaths.
Our hope is that we can all age with grace. I remember what that fall meant to my spouse's 101 year old aunt, and how it impacted her remaining years.
...after Iowa, I fear the the USA is going to take a fall!
ReplyDeleteJust before you posted this I posted to my own blog, talking about how I was doing exercises to improve my flexibility so that I don’t jeopardize my mobility. I’m a little younger than you are, but I’ve seen two of my friends lose their mobility and independence, and it scares me.
ReplyDeleteMy landlady fell at the beginning of December, just going from the kitchen to the garage. They took her to the hospital (but she didn't have to remain). She's still dealing with the pain from it.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother ended up in a nursing home after a fall at age 90 -- she lived alone in her farmhouse before then. I've been practicing balance exercises for a year or so. It's taken that long to make a noticeable improvement, but it's definitely there. I'll try adding the tightrope exercise -- thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm always afraid of falling. I clasp those railings tightly. A healthy friend of my mom's just fell down some cement stairs, went into a coma, and passed away a few days later. So scary.
ReplyDeleteIt amazing how important as we age. To take of our bodies and mind.
ReplyDeleteI recall my Grandfather who lived with us, as I grew up. Falling.
I am so very conscious of this, having seen others experience just what you wrote.
ReplyDeleteVery good, informative post! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy mother fell quite a bit. Besides her age, I think a lot was due to a bunion surgery that didn't go well, her balance was not right. It's something for all of us to think about right now. There's ice storms where they aren't used to it. My daughter showed me an image of "How to walk like a penguin" to avoid slipping on ice.
ReplyDeleteTrue that falls are the biggest killers with advancing age.
ReplyDeleteI am eighty years old, soon to turn eighty-one, and I can still lead a nature walk of fifteen km without even breaking a sweat! Hope it continues for many years. As for attending more funerals, it obviously is happening to me too, but I have come to the inescapable conclusion that people live and people die. That’s really all there is to it. We can only hope that the intervening period was productive and happy. “A life well-lived” is not a trite term, and all that we can ask for.
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right. I think we all know someone who has perished after a bad fall.
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