or droops or sags or deteriorates – that’s what we really mean by “aging” – and that includes all our senses, and although for some reason, most of us are quick to acknowledge that, say, our sense of vision is going (for example, very few of us mind decrying by midlife how hard those menus have become to read), or that our sense of hearing is not what it once was (and we don’t mind informing everyone as we hit middle-age to speak up because they all sound as if they’re mumbling all the time), or even that our sense of smell or taste is no longer as acute as it was a few years ago (“this casserole needs way more hot sauce, salt, and spices, dear”), most of us don’t have the same insight into how much our sense of balance has likewise gone south, until, that is, we fall unexpectedly.
.....If we’re lucky, we break nothing and go on as before, but if we’re unlucky, or if we have other age-associated conditions such as osteoporosis, for example, we may suffer one of the significant complications of a fall, such as head trauma or a fracture, and although a fracture may not sound like much of a big deal when you’re younger and heal quickly, it’s a whole other matter as you age because fractures can not only produce lots of pain and permanent disability, but fractures can also kill you.
.....Thus, for example, it’s commonly said that at least 20 % of seniors who break a hip will die within 12 months as a direct consequence of that fracture, which is why more Canadian women die every year from hip fractures than of breast cancer and ovarian cancer combined, and of those who break a hip and don’t die, a great number will never regain their pre-fracture mobility or independence (not to mention that many will be left with a lifetime of chronic pain).
.....By the way, if you want to know just how much your sense of balance may have deteriorated, try this exercise (although do it in a safe place, where if you do stumble, you won’t fall and hurt yourself): balance on one leg while brushing your teeth, remembering, of course, that you have two legs, so do this on both sides, and most of you will soon discover, I’m sure, that while you’re probably not too bad on your favoured side, you’re not nearly as good – perhaps even pitiful - on the other side, especially if you’re brave enough (and careful enough) to do this with your eyes closed.
.....So, to prevent falls, that’s tip number one: start doing exercises to somewhat restore your sense of balance, and it’s not all that hard to do, as I have