Mum keeps falling

[Greyat]

She's 76, so not that old, and fit, active and strong. She can walk further with far heavier shopping bags than I can. Mentally she's as sharp as ever.

However, for the last few years she's fallen a lot and it seems to be getting more frequent. Some of it is that she's always in a rush, I suspect. She's slipped on ice and broken her shoulder, slipped on a polished wooden floor and cut her head badly, broke her wrist in a fall with unidentified cause and the latest she fell off a kerb on a path narrowed by roadworks. She's refused to see anyone, but her entire arm and leg is black, I've never seen bruising like it.

None of the medical people she has seen seem concerned about the reason for the falls, just treat the injuries, but I'm concerned there's something else going on. Should I be?

Yes, sort of. Balance, proception and muscle tone does deteriorate as you age, even in fit people and you just have to start working with it (I speak from experience). But falling like this is a bit embarrassing (also speaking from experience).

But how often is she falling, really? What's her view on it?

Balance and muscle tone do deteriorate with age but is her eyesight ok?
As well as not physically seeing things, this can affect balance too

Does your local authority offer a falls pathway? May be worth asking her GP for a referral

I had this with my Mum.
She has lots going on with her health and seems to be deteriorating physically and mentally.
One thing that was identified recently though was cataracts. She's just had an op to get them removed. We're hoping this might reduce the falls now she can see better!

The falls might not be frequent but would your DM benefit from both a sight and hearing test as deterioration in these can affect balance.
DM might benefit from particular exercises such as sit to standing and standing on one leg - with a nearby support. I’m sure someone with greater knowledge can offer better advice but it is probably worth looking into.

Echo looking for a falls clinic referral- in some places you can self refer. Excellent ot/ physio help.

Would she consider tai chi?

I don't think there's any problem with her hearing.

She's always needed strong glasses, but has fairly recently had cataract operations and now apparently only needs reading glasses, does that sound likely? Lenses replacement cured her short-sightedness?

She might, but not as a solution to her falling, which she refuses to acknowledge is anything other than accidents that could happen to anyone. She does regular pilates.

Cataract surgery doesn't correct long standing short sightedness. Perhaps take her to a different opticians to get her eyes checked again.

Could it be the shoes she is wearing? It took a long time to convince my DM to start wearing more sensible, comfy trainer style flat shoes over her usual loafer style shoes. Hope she's okay!

Mum was a teacher, she's been Queen of sensible shoes for decades 😆

Lol at the idea I could "take" her anywhere. Sorry, it's a perfectly sensible suggestion, but it will only happen if she decides it's needed.

I am similar but due to Cerebral palsy
I had Cataract surgery and it does change depth perception so it could possibly still be that
Otherwise there will be a pathway to the falls clinic( usually involving physio/ strengthening exercises)
Also would handrails and other adaptations be useful?
These can be arranged by an OT visit
I actually have a wet room and adapted kitchen through the OT( so grateful!)