If you want to prevent dangerous falls in an aging adult, here’s one of the very best things you can do: be proactive about getting the right kind of medical assessment after a fall.
Why? There are three major reasons for this:
- A fall can be a sign of a new and serious medical problem that needs treatment. For instance, an older person can be weakened and fall because of illnesses such as dehydration, or a serious urinary tract infection.
- Older adults who have fallen are at higher risk for a future fall. Although it’s a good idea for any older person to be proactive about identifying and reducing fall risk factors, it’s vital to do this well after a fall.
- Busy doctors may not be thorough unless caregivers are proactive about asking questions. Most doctors have the best intentions, but studies have shown that older patients often don’t get recommended care. By being politely proactive, you can make sure that certain things aren’t overlooked (such as medications that worsen balance).
All too often, a medical visit after a fall is mainly about addressing any injuries that the older person may have suffered.
Obviously, this is very important; one doesn’t want to miss a fracture or other serious injury in an older person.
However, if you want to help prevent future falls, it’s also important to make sure the doctors have checked on all the things that could have contributed to the fall.
This is really key to preventing falls in an aging adult. Even if you’re pretty sure your loved one just tripped and stumbled, a good evaluation can uncover issues that made those trips and stumbles more likely.
In this article, I’ll list eight key items that you can make sure the doctors check on, after an older person falls. This will help you make sure your loved one has had a thorough work-up, and can reduce the chance of future serious falls.
This list is partly based on the American Geriatrics Society’s Clinical Practice Guidelines on Preventing Falls.
8 Things the Doctors Should Check After a Fall
1. An assessment for an underlying new illness. Doctors almost always do this if an older person has been having generalized weakness, delirium, or other signs of feeling unwell. Be sure to bring up any symptoms you’ve noticed, and let the doctor know how quickly the changes came on.
Just about any new health problem that makes an older person weak can bring on a fall. Some common ones include:
- Urinary tract infection
- Dehydration
- Anemia (low red blood cell count), which can be brought on by bleeding in the bowel or by other causes
- Pneumonia
- Heart problems such as atrial fibrillation
- Strokes, including mini-strokes that don’t cause weakness on one side
2. A blood pressure and pulse reading when sitting, and when standing. This is especially important if you’ve been worried about falls — or near falls — that are associated with light-headedness, or fainting.
If your older relative takes blood pressure medication, you should make sure the doctor confirms that he or she isn’t experiencing a drop in blood pressure with standing. (Note that tamsulosin — brand name Flomax — is a popular prostate medication that also causes drops in blood pressure.)
A 2009 study of Medicare patients coming to the emergency room after fainting found that checking sitting and standing blood pressure was the most useful test. However, it was only done by doctors 1/3 of the time.
For more information, see “6 Steps to Better High Blood Pressure Treatment for Older Adults”.
3. Blood tests. Checking an older person’s blood tests is often a good idea after a fall. Falls can be worsened by problems with an older person’s blood count, or by things like blood sodium getting too high or too low.
Generally, a complete blood cell count (CBC) and a check of electrolytes and kidney function (metabolic panel, or “chem-7”) are a good place to start.
For more on blood tests that are often useful, see Understanding Laboratory Tests: 10 Commonly Used Blood Tests for Older Adults.
Be sure to ask the doctor to explain any abnormalities found in the blood work, whether they might be related to falls, and how the doctor plans to address them.
If your loved one has diabetes and takes insulin or other medications to lower blood sugar, be sure to bring in the glucometer or a blood sugar log. Episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) are an important risk factor for falls, but a laboratory blood test generally doesn’t show moments of low blood sugar.
4. Medications review. Many older adults are taking medications that increase fall risk. These medications can often be reduced, or even eliminated. Be sure to ask the doctor to address the following types of medications:
- Any sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medications. Common examples include zolpidem (Ambien) for sleep, or lorazepam (Ativan) for anxiety. Antipsychotic medications for restless dementia behaviors, such as risperidone or quetiapine, can also increase sedation and fall risk.
- Blood pressure and diabetes medications. As noted above, it’s not unusual for older adults to be “over-treated” for these conditions, meaning they are taking a level of medication that causes the blood pressure (or blood sugar) be lower than is really necessary for ideal health.
- “Anticholinergic” medications. These medications are commonly taken by older adults, who often have no idea that these medications worsen balance and thinking! They include medications for allergies, overactive bladder, vertigo, nausea, and certain types of antidepressants which may also be given for nerve pain. For more on identifying and avoiding anticholinergics, see here.
- Opiate pain medications, especially if they are new.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that older adults concerned about falls request a medication review. To learn more about which medications should be reviewed, and what should be done about risky drugs, see this article:
“10 Types of Medication to Review if You’re Concerned About Falling.”
5. Gait, balance, and leg strength. At a minimum, a gait assessment means that the doctor carefully watches the way the older person is walking. Asking the older person to stand up from a chair (without using the arms) can help assess leg strength. There are also some simple ways to check balance.
Simple things to do, if gait, balance, or leg strength don’t seem completely fine, are:
- Address any pain or discomfort, if that seems to be a cause of problems. Many older people are reacting to pain in their feet, joints, or back.
- Refer to physical therapy for gait and balance assessment. These assessments will usually include checking the older person’s leg strength. A physical therapist can often recommend suitable strengthening and balance exercises for seniors, and also can help fit the older person for an assistive device (e.g. a walker) if appropriate. For more on the proven Otago physical therapy program to reduce falls — including videos demonstrating the exercises — see “Otago and Proven Exercises for Fall Prevention.”
6. Evaluation for underlying heart conditions or neurological conditions. These chronic conditions are different from the “acute” types of illnesses that we usually look for right after a fall.
In a minority of cases, an older person may be falling because he or she has developed a chronic problem with the heart or blood pressure system. An example of this would be paroxysmal rapid atrial fibrillation, which causes the heart to sometimes race, or sick sinus syndrome, which can cause the heart to beat too slowly.
It’s also possible for older people to develop a new chronic neurological condition, such as Parkinson’s disease.
If you’re worried about these possibilities, ask the doctor “Do you think a heart condition might have caused this fall? Or do you think an underlying neurological condition could have caused this fall?”
It’s particularly useful for you to ask about these kinds of problems if the falls or near-falls keep happening, especially if you’ve already minimized risky medications and over-treatment of high blood pressure.
7. Evaluation for osteoporosis and fracture risk. Many older adults, especially women, develop thinner bones in later life. Osteoporosis isn’t technically a risk factor for falls, but it’s certainly a major risk factor for injury from a fall. In particular, people with osteoporosis are at much higher risk of having a hip fracture or other type of fracture when they fall.
For this reason, after an older person falls, it’s important to check and make sure they’ve been assessed for osteoporosis.
The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all women aged 65 or older be screened for osteoporosis., however many older women end up not getting screened.
If they do have osteoporosis, then it should be treated. Treatment with bisphosphonate medications has been proven to reduce fracture risk.
Experts also recommend promptly starting osteoporosis treatment after a fracture, as the research shows this doesn’t interfere with fracture healing and can reduce the risk of a subsequent fracture.
Calcium and vitamin D supplementation may also help, especially in older adults who have low levels of vitamin D. Other lifestyle changes can also help treat osteoporosis; for more on this, see here.
Note: The United States Preventive Services Task Force and other expert groups used to recommend vitamin D supplementation to help prevent falls, because research had initially identified an association between low vitamin D levels and falls. However, randomized trials were not able to show that vitamin D supplementation decreases falls, so vitamin D is no longer recommended for fall prevention.
8. Vision, podiatry, and home safety referrals. Could your loved one be in need of a vision check, podiatry care, or a home safety evaluation? If you’ve brought an older person in after a fall, it’s a good idea to talk to the doctor about whether these services might help.
I especially recommend home safety evaluations, if they are available in your area. Even something as simple as installing grab bars can make a difference, and home safety evaluations often uncover other simple changes that can prevent falls. Vision checks are also an excellent idea if the older person hasn’t had one recently.
How to use this information
Overwhelmed by this list? Here’s an idea for you:
Print out this post — or download our free cheat sheet — and bring it along next time you take an older person to see the doctor after a fall. If the doctor overlooks certain points, don’t be shy about asking why.
For more practical information on why older adults fall and how you can prevent falls, see my article Why Older People Fall & How to Reduce Fall Risk . You can also learn more about clinically proven exercises that reduce falls here.
Susan Weber says
My 84 yr old Mom has dementia and has suddenly fallen (not tripped or lost balance, just finds herself on ground) she does have history of two heart attacks (last one in 2001 we almost lost her) and has low blood pressure (but they say it’s not so low she needs meds). I am going to make her an appt as someone told me possibly her heart is stopping that’s why she falls so suddenly. Her 82 brother has dementia and Parkinson’s, maybe now she has that too?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Sorry to hear of these falls. Yes, you should absolutely have her evaluated.
The “heart stopping” problem a person mentioned may be sick sinus syndrome, a condition that becomes more common as people get older. However, there are several other reasons an older person may pass out or find themselves on the ground, so it’s important that the doctors be thorough and not jump to conclusions too quickly.
Parkinson’s does cause falls, but if that is part of the problem, the doctor should be able to detect other signs of Parkinson’s, such as a resting tremor or stiffness of the limbs.
Good luck!
Sheri Carroll says
This sounds exactly like my step moms symptoms, she’s 76 and was having “Atonic” Seizures. Which caused sudden falls without warning.
She also had mini strokes brought on by untreated extremely high triglycerides and dementia like symptoms from hydrocephalus (NPH). If not for extremely pro active help from family , she would not be able to live independently at this point. Many doctors do miss these subtle signs.
Nicole Didyk, MD says
Hi Sheri and thanks for sharing your stepmom’s story. You describe a complex situation, and I’m glad that it sounds like you have been able to advocate as a family to get her the resources she needs. See this reply about NPH, to another question on the forum.
Scott says
Thanks for this great article. I like you mention that it is important to be proactive about asking questions instead of just assuming the older person will receive care. I can see why making sure everything is addressed would be important. I would think that knowing the background of the person would be something to keep in mind as you visit the doctor. There may be something that happened in the past that would affect the present situation.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Glad you found this helpful.
shanwettea says
I like this it helped me a lot to understand the 7 things to have the doctor check after an aging person falls & it helped me with my paper for nursing assistant
N.MANISHA says
1.An old lady fell down and having bleeding .
2.Unfortunately Medication error occurred.
3.You are not informed abou the pressure ulcer and taken over a client.
Kindly let me know the answers.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Generally if an older person is bleeding after a fall, it’s best to have them seen in person by a doctor. I would also recommend medical attention if there has been a blow to the head during the fall, if the person seems physically or mentally different after the fall, or if there is a lot of pain.
I bird says
My mum of 84 fell and broke herwrist and finger and has a black eye. She was sent home last night at midnight from a and e with the canula still in her arm?
They scanned her tummy but not sure why…any idea?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Oh, your poor mom. I hope she recovers ok from the fall.
I can’t say why they scanned her tummy and would encourage you to ask your doctors for more information.
Generally, any diagnostic imaging after a fall is done because the doctors are checking for further injury.
Melissa Taylor says
My 74-year-old mother has had nearly two dozen falls in the past year, but she refuses to use a cane or a walker. Her internist has offered physical therapy and home health aides, both of which my mother refused. Her last fall left her with a bruised face that caused the E.R. doctor to insinuate that my father had hit her, which is not the case at all. She has managed not to break any bones or fracture her skull or cause a brain bleed with these events. Doctors can’t pinpoint what’s causing the falls, and her internist has informed us that she’s no longer able to care for my mother because she won’t follow medical advice. What can we do to help her understand that she needs help to prevent future falls?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yikes, this sounds tough. Frustration because an older parent won’t follow recommendations is fairly common, although the underlying reasons the parent isn’t following suggestions is variable. I describe my top 4 tips to help with this situation here:
4 Things to Do When an Older Person Resists Help.
Briefly: I always recommend people consider the possibility of cognitive impairment (problems w memory or thinking), because if the person might be impaired then that changes a lot of things.
Otherwise, to get a person to understand something, you need to start by first trying to understand them. Sometimes this leads to framing recommendations such that the older person feels this helps them reach an important goal (i.e. continuing to live independently).
If you are feeling stuck then consider a hiring a good geriatric care manager to help you discuss this issue with your mother. Look for someone with a family therapy or social work background; this often helps parents and their adult children communicate better about a difficult issue.
Last but not least: your mother has refused PT but you might still want to see if she’d be willing to consider a special exercise program to reduce falls, such as the Otago program.
Good luck!
Angela says
You never mentioned checking for any internal injury or any broken bones
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Actually, I note in the first part of the post that a visit after a fall is usually mainly about checking for injuries, and that this is important.
I do find that usually the injury check is adequate, but that clinicians often don’t do as much to identify and mitigate fall risk factors as they could.
That said, important injuries are occasionally missed. I wrote about how caregivers can help prevent this from happening in the post “How to Help Doctors Notice What’s Wrong: The story of the missed pelvic fracture.”
Linda Meneken says
Your article contains vital information, very important! I am copying it to share with my nursing students, who will be instructing patients on balance exercises in their homes (part of Meals on Wheels Fall Prevention community outreach.)
Thank you for your focus on the geriatric population, particularly those living home alone, who may be our most vulnerable in the community.
Linda Meneken, Physical Therapist for In Home Exercise Program, MOWSOS, Walnut Creek, CA
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Thank you, I’m glad you are finding the information useful. Nurses and nursing students have a very important role to play, when it comes to caring for an aging population. Love collaborating with physical therapy as well, thank YOU for helping seniors who are at home.
richard says
my 81 year wife has parkinsons plus history utis what causes her bp ck in morning to be low 99/50 latter on it goes 185/89 her dr has taken her of metoprolol she also takes metformin she also is dizzyearly the bp is my concern
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
It’s pretty common for older adults with medical problems to have blood pressure that varies a lot. Part of it is that BP varies based on time of day, position of the arm, position of the body, and emotional state. It can also vary a lot depending on what medications are being taken, and how soon before/after medication the BP was checked.
Parkinson’s tends to give people low blood pressure, especially when they stand.
To help the doctor figure out just what is happening to your wife, it might help if you check twice a day for a week or two. It would be a little unusual to have Parkinson’s and every day be so low in the morning and so high in the afternoon, unless medications or body position is a factor. The more detailed information you bring to the doctor, the better.
Victoria Savage says
I love your focus Leslie and am looking forward to the call today.
One thing I also teach is the impact of nutrition and malnutrition in the elderly. I have seen such amazing improvement when good nutrition was restored to them. One area I find that is often lacking is adequate protein intake.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Thank you Victoria!
Malnutrition is a very important topic. As with falls, I find that it helps to first do a good assessment to identify the factors leading to weight loss or malnutrition. For instance, it could be dental pain, or inability to get out to the store, or depression, or belly pain, or an underlying medical illness, etc.
I wrote about evaluating weight loss here: Q&A: What to Do About Unintentional Weight Loss
The number one thing I wish caregivers would do is weigh an older person regularly. Tracking weight, along with energy and functional abilities, is a great way to help the doctors notice when something starts to go wrong.
Agree that many older adults benefit once they get a better diet that fits with their life needs and health situation. Great that you are helping people with this!
Look foward to meeting you today and thanks again for this comment.
Cathy says
I am a caregiver for my 86 year old Grandma. She collapsed slowly this evening and couldn’t get up on her own. She has bedsores and is bedridden, except she takes the stairs up and down morning and night for bed. With my help of course…
She has has a decrease in appetite and won’t eat anything solid anymore… She barely drinks 5 cups of fluid per day… and is sleeping most of the time.
is 5 cups of milk/juice… with banana or cheese snacks, puddings or apple sauce. And a multivitamin enough to stave off malnutrition?
Because I am at my wits end at what to do or feed her.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yikes. You are describing a lot of red flags for serious illness so you should get your grandmother medically evaluated as soon as possible.
The medically safest course is to call 911 if a person has collapsed and can’t get up. If she has a primary care doctor then you can also call and ask for advice; since they know her past history they can ask questions and determine whether you should go to the emergency room versus consider an urgent care visit. Primary care offices usually have an answering service 24/7, and often can connect you to an advice nurse or doctor.
Malnutrition is indeed common in older adults but before figuring out what/how to feed her, you must get help understanding what is the cause of her symptoms and decline.
Kaye says
My colon is completly covered with polops and my food goes strait through. I have lost 100 pounds in 6 months. I eat and have a loose or liquid bowel movement within half an hour even if I lay down right after I eat. I eat meat and vegetables or meat and eggs but nothing stays with me. I have no pain but I am hungary all of the time. I slipped on the back steps and fell only two steps but I am very sore. I have lost 50 pounds. What can I eat or drink or do?
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
This sounds like a serious situation, I would recommend contacting your health providers as soon as possible and asking them for help. It is impossible to say what you should eat or do without a better understanding of what is going on in your gastrointestinal tract. You may need to see a specialist in gastroenterology or in digestion. Food and nutrients are generally absorbed in the small bowel and then the colon removes extra liquid. I do have an article addressing unintended weight loss here: Q&A: What to Do About Unintentional Weight Loss.
You should also tell your health providers about your fall, so that they can check you for injury and determine what may have caused it. Good luck!
Nancy says
Hi my mum has alzimers and has falls I feed her salmon , fish , vegetables and all good things but she has just got over covid 19 and had had a small fall and broken her collarbone I don’t know how els to keep her from falling . And get her to strengthen her legs she’s just had physio and was doing really well now this set back ..
Nicole Didyk, MD says
I’m sorry to hear about your mom’s fall and that is often a setback for a frailer older person. What you describe sounds like a great approach for someone in your mom’s situation, and remember that falls are usually related to many factors. Here’s a video about that.
Something I suggest when a person has had a fall is getting a home assessment by an Occupational Therapist. These professionals will look for common tripping hazards and things like lighting and layout, as well as make suggestions about any equipment or modifications that can reduce fall risk.
And as Dr. Kernisan mentions in the article, mediation review is also absolutely critical to do after a fall.
Debra Kern says
Hi my name is Debra. I am 68yrs old. I take care of my grandson who just turned 6. I had just gotten him off his school bus & I slipped on a skate board. I fell right on my back & hit the back of my head pretty hard yesterday & it’s not the first time. I have had a bad headache since that fall & I don’t get headaches , but I also don’t like going to hospital’s is there anything I can do at home to help it. Ty & God Bless
Nicole Didyk, MD says
If you want to try pain relievers for your headache, we recommend starting with acetaminophen, which has fewer side effects than NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) or narcotics (like morphine). Here’s an article about pain relievers that might be of interest: /safest-otc-painkiller-aging-risks-of-nsaids/
It sounds like your fall could have happened to anyone, but if you’ve fallen before, it might be a good idea to see your doctor about it. I understand not wanting to go to a hospital, but if someone is having persistent headaches after a head injury, it’s a good idea to get a CT scan or MRI, just to make sure there isn’t bleeding or some other issue.
Mandi says
Hi Victoria and Leslie,
Leslie. Thanks for the article. It was very useful and i could tell written with love and care. That makes a difference.
My dad is finding it more and more difficult to walk and recently has been falling too often: once or twice daily these past two days.
I will do the blood test and visit a doctor.
I would be grateful if you elaborate a bit on the nutrition side.
Thanks
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Yes, if your father has been falling, then I would certainly recommend having him evaluated by a clinician as soon as you can.
In terms of nutrition: many older people are low on protein (this can be seen on certain blood tests, for albumin and pre-albumin), and also have weak muscles that contribute to falls. Some experts believe that older adults need a higher protein intake than current guidelines recommend. Muscle strength can also be improved with resistance training and special exercise programs.
Another nutrition-related issue that can contribute to falls is low levels of vitamin B12, which is necessary for good nerve function (which relates to balance and reflexes). I have information on vitamin B12 here: How to Avoid Harm from Vitamin B12 Deficiency.
Lastly, a healthier diet can help address cardiovascular risk factors, and sometimes very small strokes in the brain (cerebral small vessel disease) are one of the reasons that older adults may be at higher fall risk. I cover a healthier diet here: How to Address Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Better Brain Health: 12 Risks to Know & 5 Things to Do.
Good luck!
Mandi says
Thanks for your prompt reply. I am taking him to what we call here a “brain and nerve” doctor who will only be available on Thursday. Someone has been coming every other day to give him exercise since last June, and she says his muscles are good and that she believes it is a matter of “brain and nerves”. He has an enlarged prostate for which he has been taking medication for about a year now. His blood pressure was 138 over 66 yesterday with a heart rate of 66 and today, after having taken a coffee then had a massage and walked a bit, his blood pressure was 168 over 77 with a heart rate of 80.
What blood or other tests do you recommend? He forgets things he used to do in the past, like how to cook stuff which he hasn’t cooked in a year, for example.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Which blood tests really depends on his situation and past history, the doctor will have to decide.
I explain the most common blood tests that are often ordered for older adults here: Understanding Laboratory Tests: 10 Commonly Used Blood Tests for Older Adults.
If he seems more forgetful or if you’re starting to notice changes in memory or thinking, you can learn more about how we often evaluate that issue in these articles:
How to Diagnose & Treat Mild Cognitive Impairment
8 Behaviors to Take Note of if You Think Someone Might Have Alzheimer’s
Good luck, I hope the neurologist is helpful!
Shirley Mae Larsen says
I will be seeing my primary Dr soon and will talk to her. I saw a neurologist yesterday and he said he didn’t know anything. My first visit with home – so disappointing. When I fell backwards I was feeling,fine!! Both times. Is scary where this might happen again. I don’t have the tendency to fall
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Hm. That does sound disappointing, if your fall risk factors weren’t carefully evaluated. You can learn more about how doctors are supposed to evaluate falls at the CDC Steadi site: CDC Stopping Falls.
I also offer a fall prevention mini-course that helps people create a list of things to ask the doctor about, for better fall assessment and prevention.
Be sure to tell your primary doctor that you have fallen twice and that you’re concerned. Good luck!
Sheri Carroll says
Difficulty Walking with gate problems, memory, and falling can also be a sign of hydrocephalus, which is treatable. Hydrocephalus is under diagnosed 15% of the time as demensia or Parkinsons. Hydrocephalus Foundation has a great website for information. Hydroassoc.Org
Thank you for your informational posts and comments, your list is very helpful. My step mom has hydrocephalus, but also was having 1 second seizures called “Atonic” seizures, which caused her to fall to the floor without warning. 1 second! Impossible to diagnose until she had “Tonic” seizures and I was able to identify the earlier falls as the “ATonic”, from intensive research . Good luck to everyone. Thanks again for your posts.
Nicole Didyk, MD says
Hi Sheri, and sorry to hear about your stepmother’s difficulties. You are correct that NPH (normal pressure hydrocephalus) is something that should be considered when an older adult has had a fall and other causes have been ruled out. This article uses some medical jargon, but provides a good review. Usually NPH is diagnosed when there is a cluster of symptoms (urinary incontinence, gait problems, and memory problems) and a characteristic appearance on a brain scan (CT or MRI). NPH does resemble other conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s, so it can be hard to diagnoses, even for an expert.
In addition, when an older adult is having a seizure or other unusual symptom, most Geriatricians would be very thorough in their work up to rule out unusual causes of falls. See this article on dementia diagnosis, and thanks for checking out the site!
Lois wojcik says
My elderly sister has had two recent falls. Both times she describes seeing coloured lights flashing in front of her prior to falling.. both have been in the morning. She is on meds for blood pressure, nerve pain thyroid and overactive bladder. What could causes the coloured lights.
Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH says
Hm, I’m not sure what is causing the colored lights. A neurologist or ophthalmologist might know. In general, flashes in just one eye are more likely to be related to something happening in that eye, and flashes in both eyes are more likely to be related to something happening in the brain. I would recommend consulting with a eye specialist especially if she otherwise is experiencing changes to her vision or vision symptoms.
If she is feeling light-headed or losing consciousness right before she falls, I think it’s plausible that the lights could be related to that…either low blood pressure or something else causing her to pass out. Good luck!
Kamal says
Ahh. wish I had come to this informative post earlier. My mom passed away a month back due to a severe fall. She was 75 and was having falls since last year. Every three month she would fall and had many fractures due to this like wrist fracture, ribs and shoulder. Everytime I took her to the best of hospitals here in India, docs did all the tests heart brain, blood but never said that she was lacking something or had any disease. They only said she was old so this was elderly problem but never went deep into the cause. I had changed three hospitals and all docs said the same. Her reports showed she had mild heart problem, and also had edema in foot but docs never bothered to give some treatment. When she fell last month she had complete heart block and then again doc said that only 2% chance of survival if a pace maker is put. I am completely devastated and I feel so much pain in me losing her without any treatment. But now reading this article I remember she had difficulty in walking, walked with a stick also she was having ear machine as was now not able to hear properly and maybe she had other symptoms which docs never bothered to thoroughly examine…Wish I had taken her to some other city and showed there to some other doctors…I couldn’t save her that is my guilt…
Nicole Didyk, MD says
I’m so sorry to hear about your mom’s passing and I can understand your feelings of guilt about how things went. It sounds like you did everything you could think of to help and that her problems were dismissed as “old age”. I’m sure that you did the best you could.
That is why Dr. K and I are so dedicated to sharing medical education about getting older. Geriatrics is all about digging in and trying to sort out an older person’s medical issues and give advice that can help them with what matters most in their lives. Thanks for reading the article and for sharing your story.
Kamal says
Thanks Nicole..I am sharing this post to many so that people get to know right things in time and care for their elder.
Tommy Long says
I am going through it now with my mom she fall the other night and now she hurts so bad . I can help her any more ?
Nicole Didyk, MD says
I’m sorry to hear that your mother is in pain. Persistent pain after a fall makes me wonder if there’s an injury that might need attention from a doctor. I would advise seeking help as soon as you can if you haven’t already.
Josh says
After a fall are blood clots common?
Nicole Didyk, MD says
I’m not sure what you mean by blood clots. I’ve seen patients that fall and hit their heads, producing blood clot under the dura, or membrane covering the brain (also called a subdural hematoma, or SDH).
There are probably about 50 per 100 000 older individuals with a subdural hematoma and about half of those have had a fall. This is based on a recent study in the UK, which you can read here:
Risk factors for getting a subdural would include trauma (like falls), being on a blood thinner, and having brain atrophy, or shrinkage (which can be normal with advanced age, or with certain conditions).