1. < Aging Well

How do you feel about falling?

Posted by Steph-Words That Fly @stephcarney, Jan 7 9:05pm

In the last two winters I've had two falls. The first was a series of three falls on an icy trail within 15 minutes resulting in a badly sprained wrist that took a looong time to recover from. Now I'm terrified of the ice or even slippery new snow, so I have four different sets of micro spikes.

Early last spring I fell down the steps (indoors) carrying my ailing dog to let her out in the middle of the night. She was fine. I was badly bruised in multiple places. Now, no socks on steps, carry only one thing and hold the rail. I manage steps very carefully.

I am paranoid about falling. Maybe I should practice falling correctly! What are your thoughts about falling? What do you do to prevent falls?

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deesantucci | @deesantucci | Jan 28 3:25pm
In reply to @stephcarney "@deesantucci Oh my goodness, what a story @deesantucci ! I have wandered back and forth between..." + (show)
@stephcarney

@deesantucci Oh my goodness, what a story @deesantucci ! I have wandered back and forth between osteopenia and osteoporosis but feel lucky that though I've fallen, I've yet to have broken a bone. I took medication a long time ago after my first deja scan, but didn't respond well to the meds and have been reluctant to go on them again. I've researched these medications which get mixed reviews. Do you have osteoporosis? Do you take meds to increase bone density?

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I don’t have osteoporosis and don’t need meds. But I’ve had bad reactions to meds so I know how difficult that can be. 😢

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edsutton | @edsutton | Jan 29 11:45am
In reply to @stephcarney "@johnnoregon What an extraordinary story with an equally extraordinary conclusion, "It's what I do, my wife..." + (show)
@stephcarney

@johnnoregon What an extraordinary story with an equally extraordinary conclusion, "It's what I do, my wife and animals count on me. I get up and keep going." Wow, perhaps strength through adversity leads to more strength? Besides the dependence of your family and your animals which, no doubt, includes their love for you and yours of them as well, to what do you attribute such energetic attendance as well as endurance through discomfort?

And, a question for others on this site, in light of obstacles and difficulties and fears, what prompts YOU to get up and get going?

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Every day starts with my dog Hazel waking me, wagging her tail, ready start our morning routine, which ends with a one to two mile walk, depending on the weather or our whims. Yesterday as we arrived home we met our friends Fred and Clover, so we went on a second walk with them. Then my day usually proceeds to an extensive, creative project designing and building musical instruments. My 70s are the best years of my life.

My wife has some serious health issues that cause pain, discomfort and depression. When it reached the point that she had not left the house for three weeks, we got her a little dog, a happy Havanese rescue. Now she also has no excuse to not get up. They do sleep late, but my wife has regained ability to walk, now up to about a half mile, and I hope eventually she'll be up to join Hazel and me for some of our nice river walks.

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1 reply
Steph-Words That Fly | @stephcarney | Jan 29 12:09pm
In reply to @edsutton "Every day starts with my dog Hazel waking me, wagging her tail, ready start our morning..." + (show)
@edsutton

Every day starts with my dog Hazel waking me, wagging her tail, ready start our morning routine, which ends with a one to two mile walk, depending on the weather or our whims. Yesterday as we arrived home we met our friends Fred and Clover, so we went on a second walk with them. Then my day usually proceeds to an extensive, creative project designing and building musical instruments. My 70s are the best years of my life.

My wife has some serious health issues that cause pain, discomfort and depression. When it reached the point that she had not left the house for three weeks, we got her a little dog, a happy Havanese rescue. Now she also has no excuse to not get up. They do sleep late, but my wife has regained ability to walk, now up to about a half mile, and I hope eventually she'll be up to join Hazel and me for some of our nice river walks.

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@edsutton Oh, the amazing influence our furry family members have on us- they ALWAYS have the time, the love and the will to encourage us accompany them to a happy and healthy place! I'm glad to hear your wife is recovering! Do you have a photo of your two pups? Anyone else find this to be true? Have photos?

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SusanEllen66 | @SusanEllen66 | Jan 29 12:33pm

Falling. I have a rare disease called acquired Ataxia. It causes me to have severe gait problems. Without my walker, I can fall because my brain has atrophy. The threat of falling is with me all the time. I live alone so I wear my Apple Watch because it detects falls and sends help.

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edsutton | @edsutton | Jan 29 12:47pm

Hazel and Hava assist with Dianne's PT exercise:
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Steph-Words That Fly | @stephcarney | Jan 29 1:14pm
In reply to @SusanEllen66 "Falling. I have a rare disease called acquired Ataxia. It causes me to have severe gait..." + (show)
@SusanEllen66

Falling. I have a rare disease called acquired Ataxia. It causes me to have severe gait problems. Without my walker, I can fall because my brain has atrophy. The threat of falling is with me all the time. I live alone so I wear my Apple Watch because it detects falls and sends help.

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@SusanEllen66 I wonder... Have you had acquired ataxia for a long time? I'm interested in how people accommodate and modify their lives on the basis of the various conditions they have. Is your cautiousness second nature at this time or do you find that you need to be purposely cautious all the time? In other words, is this something you've become accustomed to? Do you feel confined by having this disease? Thank you for sharing your story!

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oldguide | @oldguide | Jan 29 2:17pm

As someone whose father died from a fall and has numerous conditions that impinge on balance I would second those who recommend PT. The Mayo PT people I have seen are the best and their exercises have made me considerably more stable. Understand that depending on your condition it may take months before you see progress. Good luck to all those dealing with various issues.

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Steph-Words That Fly | @stephcarney | Jan 29 3:44pm
In reply to @oldguide "As someone whose father died from a fall and has numerous conditions that impinge on balance..." + (show)
@oldguide

As someone whose father died from a fall and has numerous conditions that impinge on balance I would second those who recommend PT. The Mayo PT people I have seen are the best and their exercises have made me considerably more stable. Understand that depending on your condition it may take months before you see progress. Good luck to all those dealing with various issues.

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@oldguide Thanks for chiming in on the value of getting help from PT and/or OT experts with movement and lifestyle issues. As you mention, patience and consistency are key for change. Glad to hear you're feeling more stable!

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mariewms | @mariewms | Feb 8 6:26am
In reply to @stephcarney "@pacathy Absolutely! Maintaining strength is super important. I live in a very rural area of New..." + (show)
@stephcarney

@pacathy Absolutely! Maintaining strength is super important. I live in a very rural area of New Hampshire in the US. Does anyone use links to online practices for balance and strengthening that you like?

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I found Margaret Martin PT from Canada on YouTube. I have osteoporosis and she has 40 years experience treating that. She is well educated and has a ton of helpful videos on YouTube. I do her balance and strength routines from the comfort of my home.

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Steph-Words That Fly | @stephcarney | Feb 8 6:56am

@mariewms Thanks, Marie, I'll certainly check out Margaret Martin and see what she has to offer for those with osteoporosis!

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