Falling! (Aging related)

[Joe Mcseismic]

Had two friends. One in his early fifties and the other in his early sixties. Both fell with no explanation.

They eventually went to the doctor as it happened more than once. Both were diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. Both are now dead.

[Jingthing]

Another medical factor probably contributing to falls and other accidents is not getting enough sleep.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Saltire]

Wow what a depressing day lol - one post asking if you fear the grim reaper and now death by falling!

 

Turning 65 next year and have to say I have noticed I am now more wobbly, I have never worn sandals or flip flops, I just can't walk comfortably in them so I always wear canvas shoes or trainers (sneakers). I feel at my most wobbly, as someone said, when walking downstairs with no handrail. As i cautiously make my way down I always think back to when i'd fearlessly run down them!

 

I have fallen a few times but not recently, more so when I was in Cambodia. If you think the pavements are bad here, go take a walk around Siem Reap, Cambodia. Fortunately nothing serious, worst was a chipped tooth.

 

I renewed my UK expat insurance recently and increased the personal accident cover, in a fit of optimism that they could and would not deny a claim (assuming it's not through alcohol etc). If the worst came to the worst and I felt more at risk i'd not hesitate to buy a walking stick.

 

Stay upright everyone! 

[soalbundy]

The bathroom is the biggest danger IMO, after a shower I have often almost slipped on wet tiles, tiles are a hard place to fall.

[CGW]

I live within a 30 rai piece of land that was being developed by a retired Doctor who is the owner, all the land was fully irrigated, power installed, roads and drainage put in, all very well done, three pieces of land were sold & built on, including mine.

He went home one night, fell in the shower and has never walked since that day 6 years ago! he has never been back to the land, his family have no interest, though they pay one person to look after it, life can be brutal! 

It is nice and quite where I am though!

[billd766]

13 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

The bathroom is the biggest danger IMO, after a shower I have often almost slipped on wet tiles, tiles are a hard place to fall.

I have a plastic stool in my shower ready for when I am having a problem standing while showering. The shower floor is fairly rough tiles and when I am finished I always squeegee the floor.

 

I also have 2 cats. They live outside.

 

One won't come near me and the other keeps popping out for some TLC and twists around my ankles. The TLC she gets is when I am sitting in a chair and when I am finished I shift her out of the way where I am walking in case I get tangled up with her and fall over.

[Saltire]

Some good advice here so I figured a checklist for those in fear of falling could be useful. Feel free to print it out and stick on your fridge ???? 

 

 

1 No sandals or flip flops, they are the devil’s footwear

2 Take up ice skating, skiing, roller blading, hiking, cycling and Tai Chi (Warning - you may be prone to falling with some of these)

3 Don’t be stupid enough to try to stand on one leg/foot just to see if you can

4 Stay indoors when it’s wet outdoors but go easy on the beer - see 6 below

5 When walking outdoors alternate looking up and down as you go. This has the added advantage of being ignored by everyone around who’ll think you're  a nutter.

6 Don’t drink and walk - you know it makes sense

7 Buy accident insurance if you’re not past the cutoff age.

8 Stay out of the kitchen (easy!)

9 If there is no handrail on stairs, just don’t go up to avoid having to come down later.

10 When napping/sobering up put both feet on the wall. Wait till she’s left before you do this.

11 Sleep 8 hours a night but not necessarily continuously

12 Stay out of the bathroom (not so easy!)

13 If 12 is not possible, buy an emergency plastic stool and don't forget to take it with you when at the bar.

14 Don’t have pets unless they come in a cage

15 Finally if you do fall and people laugh just smile and say ’thanks!’ even if you are in pain, but if they come to help you tell them to p*ss off, you’re not that old!

[sanmyn]

I am from SF, Calif. and now live in Thailand.  Sidewalks here are treacherous and unwalkable. So I pay for the gym at Marriot (expensive) but the treadmill works well. I do an uphill walk three times a week for 40 minutes. (I am 84 next month).

After a morning stretch on the floor, I do my 40 minute treadmill.

So I am doing my best to avoid falls and to stay healthy.

(sanmynATyahooDOTcom)

[bkk6060]

On 8/6/2019 at 11:45 PM, Jingthing said:

The ugly truth is that my fall probably wouldn't have happened even in sandals if I had paid more attention to putting them on more snugly. Perhaps that was age related, that I didn't. But of course as long as I keep wearing sandals at least I've learned my lesson about that. 

I have fallen and am in my 60ś.

Not fun.

I changed to real shoes about a year ago and it is much much better I think.

A pair of Skechers or similar are lite and pretty sturdy and also protect your entire foot.

My feet also do not get nearly as sore at the end of the day.

Dump the sandals and give it a try at least you may be surprised.

[JaiLai]

1 hour ago, Saltire said:

Some good advice here so I figured a checklist for those in fear of falling could be useful. Feel free to print it out and stick on your fridge ???? 

 

 

1 No sandals or flip flops, they are the devil’s footwear

2 Take up ice skating, skiing, roller blading, hiking, cycling and Tai Chi (Warning - you may be prone to falling with some of these)

3 Don’t be stupid enough to try to stand on one leg/foot just to see if you can

4 Stay indoors when it’s wet outdoors but go easy on the beer - see 6 below

5 When walking outdoors alternate looking up and down as you go. This has the added advantage of being ignored by everyone around who’ll think you're  a nutter.

6 Don’t drink and walk - you know it makes sense

7 Buy accident insurance if you’re not past the cutoff age.

8 Stay out of the kitchen (easy!)

9 If there is no handrail on stairs, just don’t go up to avoid having to come down later.

10 When napping/sobering up put both feet on the wall. Wait till she’s left before you do this.

11 Sleep 8 hours a night but not necessarily continuously

12 Stay out of the bathroom (not so easy!)

13 If 12 is not possible, buy an emergency plastic stool and don't forget to take it with you when at the bar.

14 Don’t have pets unless they come in a cage

15 Finally if you do fall and people laugh just smile and say ’thanks!’ even if you are in pain, but if they come to help you tell them to p*ss off, you’re not that old!

You've stolen my idea, i suggested this long ago, is that not defamation????????????????????

[Rotweiler]

If I may clarify - I think the OP was not referring to a skinned-knee kind of fall.  In advanced age, the greatest danger in a slip/fall is a broken hip. often very difficult to recover from.  In cases, I am personally familiar with, that killed my father-in-law, a neighbour two doors down, and my older brother.

 

Take the suggestions offered in this thread seriously.  Even a mild slip can cause damage to older bones.

[1FinickyOne]

As we get older, falls can be very serious for many reasons, broken hip can be fatal, I have heard of a fall triggering dementia, and even if relatively a simple balance loss, it is unsettling... my balance is not near what it was when younger... there also can be neurological issues and neuropathies... 

 

when I was about 52, I fell a couple of times on the uneven pavements of Bkk and realized that as I got older and a bit heavier and weaker, I had not re-calibrated my lifting of leg. 

 

I now hold onto handrails and am much more conscious. It hurts and I do not recover as quickly. 

[soistalker]

Always go.out in a newish pair of running shoes. They have the best traction. 

[Pdavies99]

Look where you are walking might help!! And wear some proper shoes!!

[Yme]

Suggest you (and anyone else with the "wobbles", dizziness, or instability) get your carotid arteries checked for narrowing and also get checked for early signs of Parkinsons disease. Particularly important if you have been or are a user of tobacco products. 

The owner of the house I rent died four years ago after slipping at Klong Toei market. 

Good luck. 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

For bathrooms and showers and even the adjoining rooms where you come out of the bathroom with wet feet, HomePro and similar places have 3M brand or similar rolls of traction floor tape that can be laid down to prevent surface slips at home.

 

For our bedroom coming out of the bathroom, I've laid down a couple of rubber bathroom mats that have the little sucker pieces on the bottom so they don't slide even if the underlying floor gets damp or wet.

 

I'm also very careful these days about holding onto the side railing whenever I'm going up or down the stairs at BTS stations and similar to that. Always stay along one side or the other with one hand on the railing, and not in the middle where if I was to trip or slip, I'd have nothing to hold onto to catch/stop my fall.

[kokopelli]

3 hours ago, Saltire said:

Some good advice here so I figured a checklist for those in fear of falling could be useful. Feel free to print it out and stick on your fridge ???? 

 

 

1 No sandals or flip flops, they are the devil’s footwear

2 Take up ice skating, skiing, roller blading, hiking, cycling and Tai Chi (Warning - you may be prone to falling with some of these)

 

Interesting  idea especially for Thailand. ????

[Letseng]

On 8/6/2019 at 11:25 PM, Jingthing said:

Me and everyone else.

As I think my fall was mechanical, I am considering switching from my beloved beach resort SANDALS to something more sturdy like sneakers. 

Do balancing exercises and you will be more steady on your feet.

Stand on one leg when brushing your teeth e.g. Learn Aikido. You learn balance and how to fall. My husband started at 72.

Keep physically fit, you recover quicker from a fall.

[dick turpin]

Reached that age where I am really careful, particularly when going down stairs, but have noticed that being overweight I have also lost my equilibrium, making it difficult to recover from the slightest missed step.   

[The Fugitive]

Recently fell off a chair in the waiting area of a provincial hospital. Only grazed one knee. A/E diagnosed low blood glucose. Doctor offered to admit me for tests but I declined. I no longer drive/ride and worry about falling backwards off the pillion of my wife's moto. Until now have been able to counteract occasional light-headedness by drinking original Coca-Cola/Pepsi. Anyone with similar history? What did you do?

 

[ancharee]

On ‎8‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 11:32 PM, JaiLai said:

Yeah, it's a massive decision, maybe even go for some trekking boots?

 

Mechanical falls, they're the worst...

Try stilts for a change

[oscarsmum]

If you prefer sandals try a pair of Ecco walking sandals. I've had bilateral knee replacements and my balance is stuffed. The Ecco sandals are very good for my confidence. They are pricey but worth it for the support and grip of the sole in the wet or sand. Good luck.

[atyclb]

On 8/6/2019 at 11:25 PM, Jingthing said:

Me and everyone else.

As I think my fall was mechanical, I am considering switching from my beloved beach resort SANDALS to something more sturdy like sneakers. 

it works on k2 and everest

 

 

[atyclb]

sidewalks are akin to military training obstacle courses.

 

i ride a bike in bkk and wear a motorcycle helmet and stick to sidewalks as much as possible. sidewalks are dangerous. once hit a vertical concrete section that was runoff of driveway and i did a forward somersault. 

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Letseng said:

Do balancing exercises and you will be more steady on your feet.

Stand on one leg when brushing your teeth e.g. Learn Aikido. You learn balance and how to fall. My husband started at 72.

Keep physically fit, you recover quicker from a fall.

Yes I do agree falling well is a thing. It's also a thing that may tend to lessen with age. I remember as a kid I fell off a stage with no injuries. Of course the best way of falling is to start to fall and then correct.

[Suradit69]

On August 6, 2019 at 11:32 PM, JaiLai said:

Yeah, it's a massive decision, maybe even go for some trekking boots?

 

Mechanical falls, they're the worst...

So should we put the stilettos in the bin?  

[RJRS1301]

 

 

I do 50 minutes gym on daily basis, but that is my choice for many reasons

 

Sensible shoes, not sandals

Core strengthening exercises

Balance techniques exercises

Thai Chi 

Weight resistance exercises so keep muscles toned

Exercise for hip abductors and adductors

Leg lifts for thighs 

 

 

[Jingthing]

It probably goes without saying but another hazard of falling on the mean dirty streets in Thailand is dealing with the wounds if they are bloody, as mine were. I was quite concerned about infection, even risk of deadly sepsis (healed by now though).

 

Which brings me to another question that maybe Sheryl can help with.

 

I've never been able to locate the very common in the USA (and I think most countries) ointment called NEOSPORIN or equivalent. Over the years I've tried several pharmacies. What's up with that!?!

 

https://www.drugs.com/mtm/neosporin-topical.html

[NightSky]

Tripping over and falling can happen to anyone especially on these uneven streets. Hope you are OK now?

 

How about investing in some good strong and comfortable walking shoes (maybe with those Velcro tapes that go across the foot for ease to put on and off) and consider a walking stick that doubles up as a Vaudeville Hook implement, it might come in handy for all sorts of reasons..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NightSky]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It probably goes without saying but another hazard of falling on the mean dirty streets in Thailand is dealing with the wounds if they are bloody, as mine were. I was quite concerned about infection, even risk of deadly sepsis (healed by now though).

 

Which brings me to another question that maybe Sheryl can help with.

 

I've never been able to locate the very common in the USA (and I think most countries) ointment called NEOSPORIN or equivalent. Over the years I've tried several pharmacies. What's up with that!?!

 

https://www.drugs.com/mtm/neosporin-topical.html

Iodine is available cheap from 7/11 for all minor open wounds (that red stuff they put on our knee grazes as kids)