Does my mum sound ok, is this normal for 72?

[Rememberthetimes]

My mum has always been a little ditzy, slightly forgetful etc, since around 70, I’ve noticed it increasing a little. She was telling me recently how she feels tired after doing fairly simple things like cleaning etc and doesn’t do it as much. She also said she doesn’t like travelling anymore (airports/flying) and sometimes feels a bit anxious..like what if she’s forgotten something and so on. She’s someone who’s never been anxious before, just not that type of person.
Today on a walk, she just fell flat down, she had tripped over a tree root, but also told me how, recently she was on her knees looking for something and just sort of lost balance and fell onto her head, banging it.
This seems to have happened mainly in the last couple of years.

Am I being unduly worried about her?

It could be something or nothing. Would she be up for a GP visit and check up?

My FIL was like this and had some form of neurological degeneration so I'd get her checked out. He'd become nervous of going out and fell over when out as well.

It could be nothing, but it could be a brain or cardiovascular problem. She should go to the doctor.

Did she put her hands out, to stop the fall? Was there any instinctive movements? If nit, then she definitely needs checking out.

I’m 75. I would say the tiredness and not wanting to travel is normal, but the falling or over balancing maybe not so much.

my mil is the same age and had a few falls and we thought she was blacking out. Turns out it was her blood pressure. She’s on new medication and has been fine since.

72 is not that old. I would try to get your mum to her GP.

Tripping over a tree root is normal, but losing balance for no good reason needs checking out.

Why what does that mean please?

And anxiety when travelling?

Putting the hands out means she tripped rather than blacking out or fainting, where this instinctive response doesn't happen.

Definitely a visit to the GP needed.

My mum is 73. None of that sounds familiar, but I appreciate there are also not many sports car driving, excess travelling 73 year olds around.

I agree with a pp - the tiredness and the not wanting to travel are fairly normal. Also a bit of worry about minor things is normal.

Forgetfulness and losing balance - I do think that needs a doctor visit.

But at the visit, I'd mention the tiredness, because although it's normal, it can be a symptom of other things.

My DM is 81 this year and whilst she gets tired very easily these days and very much hates the thought of travelling now after having travelled all her life, she can walk for miles and is always doing something (Found her up a ladder with a chainsaw once!) I’ve only known her fall once since being ‘elderly’ and that was years ago and a genuine trip.

Myself on the other hand, I’m 41 and have Functional Neurological Disorder and I’m allllways falling. Most of the time I do instinctively put my hands out whilst I’m falling, there has been times when I haven’t and I have been badly injured as a result.
I’m only mentioning my own condition as an example of neurological issues as it sounds like that could be in the realms of what’s going on with your mum but then I’m not a medic and I’ve absolutely no clue whether your mum’s issues are also symptoms of Dementia or something else.
Either way, best of luck

She definitely tripped as a big tree root was sticking out, she was walking next to me, it felt like a straight thud next to me and it didn’t seem
like she had her hands/arms out. I will
ask her tomorrow
What could it mean, getting worried

My Mum is 78 and still works part time. She does get tired easily now and can be a bit clumsy. Trips up steps etc but otherwise she's healthy

My mum is 81 and doesn't like travelling, but that is relatively normal for her as she was never into it. However, she hasn't wanted to travel to London (a long day trip for her) for a while now as she thinks it's too much hassle.
Otherwise she is fine and doesn't fall over or get anxious. I would say it's worth a check up.

It could be a lot of things, or "just" normal age-related deterioration. People sharing their nightmare experiences with you on here (I have one!) will not be helpful, the GP could be.

My Mum is 78 and has become increasingly anxious and less steady on her feet in the last few years. She used to be so independent (long divorced) travelled everywhere by train, sharp as a tack, always busy.
Now the trains make her very anxious, she's much more tired and she walks carefully. I have also worried that she might be starting to lose cognitive skills as her memory is selective but she still beats me at scrabble so who knows?

Over what?

Time keeping, navigating the route? Getting from platform to platform at a station?

It could be nothing but I agree she should get checked out.

The anxiety stuff sounds fairly normal - my dad is mid-70s and now only drives locally because anywhere further afield makes him anxious and he finds it daunting. My Grandad was the same and gave up driving at around the same age.

My husband has small blood vessel deterioration in the brain. We noticed some years ago that he was falling and losing balance. His brain finds it harder to do stuff that was once automatic and one of those things we do automatically is stay upright.

My gran was travelling independently between her home city and London into her 80s. Then she went to Cardiff for the weekend which was a new route and needed her to change trains. She became really anxious when she was changing trains in Birmingham (although still did the journey independently) and said that that was the end of travelling for her. She never went intercity again, even on routes she knew well.

People do become more anxious with age. The stakes are higher and we know that we're not invincible. There's a reason that Saga Holidays exists.

Definitely get checked out. It sounds very similar to the start of my mums dementia.

I developed anxiety when travelling after my husband died. I'm only 64.

She says the hassle of it all..packing then if the case is too heavy or they get there and have got the right tickets