‘I know too well the dangers of over-60s having a fall at home’

Recently, a friend was sitting on her toilet and fell forward (the floor was slippery). She bumped her nose on the side of the hand basin and fell over onto her right side. She has been very unwell since this fall. It’s the first one she has had in many years and only happened because of her balance. She is now 67 and hopefully she won’t fall again for a long time.

I myself have actually had a number of falls over the years and am very aware of how easy it is to stumble and fall anywhere, at any time.

I started having falls when I was prescribed a medication for my mental health with a side effect of balance difficulties. I would get out of my car and the next thing be on the ground; I would be walking into the lounge and fall onto the floor for no reason except my balance — my legs and arms at different angles. There was no reason at all for these falls except my balance was off.

They finally took me off the medication as I was falling at least two or three times a week. My injuries were considerable, but fortunately I had no breaks.

One particular fall was not pleasant for me, but a funny story with a twist. I fell down the wooden stairs (about three of them) at the back of the house. The steps had about half inches between the boards and as I fell frontwards I put out my hand to stop the fall grasping at the hand rail.

After I fell my bladder discharged and the pee went down through the stairs onto my flat mates cat who was lying under the bottom step. The poor cat didn’t know what happened but I certainly did.

I got myself back up the stairs for a shower and put on clean clothing. I felt so silly and stupid, but all we could do was laugh.

Touch wood, I have not fallen for more than four years. I am so careful where and when I walk anywhere as my balance isn’t all that great anymore. I’m 70.

About six months ago I fell up the top two steps, hitting my head on the wall of the stairwell but not very hard. I’d taken a small basket up and down the stairs with all my essentials in it and it went flying past me and all my items were strewn over the landing. The basket had my cell phone, my medications, my small torch, the latest TV guide and several other small items.

I live in a three-storied townhouse with about 36 stairs to go from top to bottom and there are hand rails on all the stair cases, which I use all the time. They keep me safe and I would be totally screwed if they were not there.

One of my worst falls was out my front door about 18 years ago. My right ankle got stuck between the three outside steps and I fell over with my foot stuck under the stairs and I twisted my ankle badly. I had a fracture of the ankle and now have three screws in that ankle from an operation they had to perform to put back the spiral break.

My foot was hanging off the end of my leg when I tried to get up. I managed to hop inside and call the ambulance and organise my children to go to school as well. I am brave I think but also life has to go on. I also still smoked and had a cigarette before the ambulance arrived.

When the weather gets cold the screws get very chilly and I can feel all three of them. It’s just a bit of a worry so I wear thick woollen socks to cover the screws.

My prognosis from my bone scan taken about three years ago is that I have the possibility of breaking a hip by 15 per cent if I fall again, so I am so very careful when I go out, watching where I walk and holding on to someone or a handrail when I go up or down stairs. It makes me have to think all the time about how I walk and it’s annoying, but I certainly don’t want to have another fall.

Is there a saying that drunks don’t injure themselves when they fall? I don’t drink and I still have been known to fall, but I always manage to hurt myself. Maybe I should take up drinking…?

I’ve had so many injuries from falls. As we get older, it’s certainly something to worry about.

My advice is to make sure you’re safe at home, don’t hurry when you go to leave the house. No one wants to end up in hospital with broken bones and bruised body parts from a fall.

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