I read this story on the BBC website and as I started pulling together statistics on falls I remembered what an impact falling really does have. My gran fell badly on some wet mossy paving slabs outside her house. Prior to the fall she was very active. As an 85 year old she lived alone and she looked after herself probably better than I do. She travelled to America each year to visit her son and walked everywhere. She never learnt to drive and since grandad died over 20 years ago she is totally reliant on public transport. The nearest bus stop is about a quarter of a mile away up a steep rocky path and she had no problems negotiating this is in all weathers and coming back carrying her weekly shopping.
Then she fell.
Not only was it sad to see her feel her age for the first time in her life, she lost a huge amount of confidence. The fall didn't injure her badly in terms of needing hospital care. However it left her in a lot of pain for a good few weeks and the sheer shock of it meant she was frightened to step outside for a long time. This is coming from a very very independent and sometimes quite eccentric lady!
I remember taking bleach and a scrubbing brush to those paving slabs to wipe them clean so they weren't slippery any more but she never recovered from it and has never got her confidence back.
Since that day I don't remember her ever walking to the bus. She takes a taxi when she has to go out and relies on friends and family for lifts to the shops and hairdressers. She has also taken to walking with a stick which she vowed she would never do as it makes her look old (she is now 90!). Falls - once it happens you can never go back.
No comments:
Post a Comment