Part 10 of 12.
It seems to be true of most people that as we get older, we are less steady on our feet. We use the railing on the stairs more than we did. Even when taking a little stroll, we are a bit more careful to see where we put our feet.
The body has a mechanism to help prevent falling or fainting. When we stand up very quickly, the body sends extra blood to the brain. As we age, that controller doesnβt do as well as it used to, and we have to be more careful. If you leap up too fast, you might get really unsteady and even faint. Keep it slow. Be careful.
It has never been easy for Joan to take things slowly and carefully. My wife moves quickly, and that can lead to trouble. She needs to be reminded to watch out for a slippery floor. Alzheimerβs prevents her from remembering that sort of hazard.
There were some falls, and they were worrisome. Following the advice of various medical personnel, we looked for any physical problems that might have caused her to fall. After many tests, nothing physical showed up.
It bothered me when she lost her balance and fell down because that contradicted what I was able to see every day. Her sense of balance is good indeed. She can pull on a pair of slacks while standing first on one leg, then the other. I canβt do that!
Once at check-in for her exercise class I had my back to her, then heard a gasp from several onlookers. She had seen a chair nearby and decided to sit down. It was just a couple of steps, but she just fell on the floor. She must have stumbled over her feet. No other reason was apparent.
Then it hit me. Joan has always carried a heavy purse cradled in her left arm. She was carrying that purse every time she took a fall. When she stumbled over anything (including her own feet) she was like a bird with only one wing! She couldnβt use both arms to steady herself and keep her balance!
You can guess that she is no longer allowed to carry a purse. I watch carefully to keep both of her βwingsβ free. She shouldnβt walk with a package in one hand, for example. She needs extra care to keep her balance when walking.
Medical professionals do all they can to help us prevent falls and maintain our sense of balance. In Joanβs case, the usual tests for physical problems were necessary. But I wonder if βholding a purse in your left armβ might not be worth a line or two in a medical journal!
Tomorrow: Playing table games.
