By Carol Tannenhauser
“If we live long enough, we get old.”
— Carol Tannenhauser
A couple of weeks ago, the Rag received the following email: “My friend and I were walking in front of the museum [of Natural History]. The sidewalk there is awful. We encountered a big sinkhole. My friend tripped & fell & I tripped on top of her. We are both in our 70s and were lucky: no serious damage. A crowd of nice kids surrounded us to help.”
I fell about a month ago and wasn’t as lucky. I was walking on the sidewalk of West 72nd Street, north side, heading west, between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. I remember turning to look at a juice bar, and then I was sitting on a bench in front of it, a paramedic asking me if I knew who and where I was. I did, though I didn’t remember falling. A bystander had called 911.
They put me in an ambulance and took me to what I still call New York Hospital. They had to, they said, because I had been unconscious. My husband met us in the emergency department, where they wheeled me into a room occupied by another older woman. We exchanged names and reasons for being there. Hers was scoliosis. She said she would put me on her “prayer list,” probably because of my face, which (I saw when I went to the ladies room) was bruised and swollen. “Karen?” she asked. “Carol,” I corrected, adding, “I bet you have a lot of people on your prayer list. How do you remember them all?” I didn’t want her to forget me. “God remembers,” she said.
We waited for hours. A nurse told me there had been an all-hands-on-deck emergency. “A 37-year-old man died,” she said. “Fell off a scaffolding.”
Because I couldn’t remember falling, I had to have a brain scan to make sure I didn’t have a bleed or stroke, blood tests to measure my heart function and eliminate a heart attack, and a chest X-ray for no reason other than my age.
My tests came back normal, which meant I could be released, but they wanted to repeat the blood test and do a urinalysis. That would have added at least another hour to the seven we had already spent there. We decided to leave. They advised against it, but provided my discharge papers.
Upper West Sider Dr. Robert N. Butler, a psychiatrist who is credited with founding the field of medicine known as geriatrics – the care of older people — also coined the word “ageism” and won a Pulitzer Prize for a book he wrote about aging in 1975 called “Why Survive?”
“The first fall is the start of old age,” he told me 30 years ago, when I co-authored another book with him called “Old & Alone in America,” which, unfortunately, was never published. I was in my mid 40s, learning about old age from the world’s foremost expert. Now, I’m in my mid 70s, experiencing it myself. Was Dr. Butler right? Have I tumbled across some life-span threshold?
I do feel changed by my fall, more tentative, I hope temporarily. I’m hesitant to walk outside. I keep flashing on my cheek slamming in slow motion against the sidewalk. Is it something my mind invented because not being able to remember the fall is so disconcerting? What had happened? More importantly, will it happen again? I walk with downcast eyes now, scanning the sidewalk before me, noticing the infinite number of cracks and little ledges, chanting to myself, ‘don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall.’
I’ll probably get hit by an e-bike.
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(Can you name the tune the headline was taken from?)
oh this sounds awful. I’m so glad you’re ok. the streets have gotten dangerous for us all.
Me too! First fall yesterday, though not in NY, and (thankfully) not as consequential. I’ll be 77 in a few weeks. Hope you’re okay and continue to be.
I believe there are security cameras covering that spot. Could you request to see the fall? Knowing why you fell could go a long way to making sure it doesn’t happen again. If shoes are loose and you twist or turn suddenly, that alone can do it.
Sorry to hear about your fall, Carol. But may I add something that a neurologist told my dad when he (dad) was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease: “When you look down, you will fall down.” Endeavor to build up your strength and your perception of the area around you. And don’t think too much about falling again! We all need to be careful.
I’ve been told the same thing by trainers and physical therapists.
The JCC on 76th St. offers several short-term courses on preventing falls for older people.
There’s also a terrific paperback, “Better Balance:Simple exercises to improve stability and prevent falls,” published by Harvard Medical School.
https://mmjccm.org/fall-stop
Thanks for the link I was too lazy to provide!
So sorry that happened!! I have brain damage that has given me ataxia, i.e. impaired balance and coordination. This has been since my 40s. I started tripping and falling at the time and am still falling if I’m not careful (I’m 67). I’ve always had to scan the ground as I walk. Keeping your eyes on the ground is not the worst thing in the world, although as you get older falling definitely gets more scary.
I’m glad it wasn’t worse and wish you a full recovery. Your fear is natural, but will subside. I also call it NY Hospital, and always will. (I was born there, my mother had the same OB as Happy Rockefeller.) Do balance exercises and wear shoes/sneakers with good support. And keep reporting for the Rag!
Thanks for reporting what seems a too common experience. I too have fallen. Some big number of our outdoor falls are the failure of the City to maintain level sidewalks and crosswalks. I live on West End and have to walk outside of the crosswalk in traffic because it seems less risky than the rocky road that is the crosswalk! Is anybody minding the store called NYC?!?
Don’t you DARE get hit by anything! And watch for big dogs playing! You made me laugh out loud!
I’m sorry to hear this and am glad you are OK!
The last line made me laugh!
Laugh and wince, sigh! Some people hate walking with a stick or hiking pole. But others find it gives a feeling of security and independence, and helps them get a freedom and rhythm of looking not just down but forward and around. My energetic aunt used hiking poles in her hilly town through her 80s! We were always glad to see her striding along with them, with balance and support, getting out and about. Keep moving, however you can.
And PS it may be weeks or months, but your brain may yet retrieve fragments of the missing moments to tell you more what happened. (Though a video sounds even better.)
As a CB member, I have brought to the attention of our Senior Action committee that the tiles along Riverside Drive are chipped, gouged, and in many places missing. I’ve seen a few people with canes and walkers trip.
Our officials should pay more attention to considerations such as pavement, road, and park walkways to mitigate the chance of more elderly facing mobility issues and serious injuries from falls.
After all, this demographic (Baby Boomers) is aging.
There is a large cohort of us who have had similar experiences. Mine was in Brooklyn heading to the train. Although I too am always scanning the sidewalks for those slight unanticipated inclines, I have found another tool. For the first time in in my life I am taking functional strength and stretching classes, in combination with water aerobics, and these two outlets have increased my confidence, and stature. So far it is working. (And I too was a fan of Robert Butler!)
Amen! Water exercise is very helpful in increasing balance confidence. When I’m in NY (split my time with Larkspur, CA) I spend time in a neighborhood pool for seniors! Its so helpful. I’m an early embracer of water aerobics, but late learner about building muscle strength! And, I find it’s not too late!
Also, we can fall NOT from a trip, stumble, etc. Some people THINK they broke their hip when they fell, but in fact, their hip broke, and made them fall.
Get a bone scan! Make sure you are doing what you can to maintain if not improve the health of your skeleton.
Dick Van Dyke— amazing guy!— summed successful aging up with “exercise, exercise, exercise”— he goes to the gym at least 3 times a week. Most people don’t do it— becomes a habit once you “force” yourself to start. Sometimes I think NYers get lulled into thinking just walking in NYC is enough— it’s not. ”Just do it,” as they say. Glad you weren’t badly hurt, but perhaps take it as a lucky call to the gym. Can’t really argue with Dick Van Dyke’s agility. It’s never to late to start— No one ever regrets it🤗
And my apologies in advance if you already go regularly to gym, but maybe my comment will send some others there— it’s the ONE antidote to aging💕
Feel better.
I’m a former West Sider, I grew up a few floors above Barney Greengrass’s store. I am now 86 and a few years ago I had a Spinal Operation that caused me to have balance issues. I immediately bought a Rollator for my walking assistance. I use a really expensive one outside the house which works on sidewalks, grass, gravel, boardwalks, and cobblestones, etc. I have a less expensive model I use in my home. I have never fallen once, even on cruise vacations. overseas. Stop worrying and buy a wheeled Rollator!
Lyrics from : I’ve Just Seen a Face, by the Beatles
😎
I live on W 86th St. am 79 years old and I have had Parkinson’s for many years
My balance is very shaky. I find two things in dispensable. First, a walker.. By farthe best quality is Nitro which has larger wheels, and the device to mount the curb or get on the bus ramp, The second thing is a Medical alarm. You wear around your neck so you can call 911 immediately.. I have Medical guardian, but there are many others . Falling is no joke.l
How I wish the city would fix the sidewalks! I know, there’s so much. Watch out for the NW corner of Broadway and 107th Street. My husband (age 82) fell there in January. Broken shoulder, endless hours in emergency, ongoing P.T., and he’s still suffering. Any of us could trip on that spot. Sawhorses appeared there a few days later, but they were removed after a week and nothing was done. A few years ago a friend was in the midst of suing the city after she tripped on a very uneven sidewalk and died from complications that resulted. Not good!
I think the sad thing about this is that the City decided a long time ago that maintenance of streets, sidewalks, curbs and footpaths simply didn’t sound sexy enough to keep doing it. As a result sidewalks are allowed to deteriorate, curbs are damaged by cars and buses. Street are filled with potholes and left uneven and rugged by contractors who get away with walking away. New York used to be a walkers paradise but that was years ago. Now our leaders spend their days thinking up ways to make developers rich. The reset of us just have to fend for ourselves.
I’m sorry you went through this horrific experience, Carol, and hope you are recovering well. Finding yourself regaining consciousness without any memory of falling must be so disorienting. Modest suggestion: get your eyes checked out; visual issues (including progressive glasses) have been known to reduce stability.
I wish you well! I live in fear of The Fall. I fell several times over the decades, always landing on my right knee – but haven’t yet in my 70s. We have to watch ALL the traffic and danger points. Maybe the solution is to keep going out, but with a posse!
So sorry to read this, Carol! I hope you are recovering well. Falling is something we did so effortlessly as children, but lost the touch for as adults. I have had a few falls in the last decade. Not fun, but certainly not surprising given the state of our sidewalks and how much walking we do.
You headline this piece with a song, and I offer this one by James Taylor, sung by Shirley Horn. The Secret of Life. If the link doesn’t work or isn’t welcome here -the lyrics in part are: “The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. Any fool can do it. There ain’t nothing to it. Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill. But since we’re on our way down we might as well enjoy the ride…..Isn’t it a lovely ride to be gliding down? to be sliding down?….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sNaUy6l4BU
Sorry for your fall, and wishing you a truly full recovery!
So happy to hear you’re doing just fine! I have recently read a book which was recently referenced in an article in the NY Times on aging and it is sooo uplifting as well as incredibly informative! It’s called Breaking The Age Code, by Becca Levy, PhD….How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How long and Well You Live. It’s filled with life affirming information about aging as well as findings from years of wonderful studies. Its in the library! Treat Yourself! I’m 73 and am giving it as a gift to all of my friends over 50!!!!
Start doing balance exercises. I used to fall a lot. A couple of trips to the ER, a broken leg, surgery& rehab. I haven’t had a fall in 2 years. I also believe the cataract surgery I had in both eyes in 2022 helped as well. Best wishes to you.
Thanks for writing about this, Carol, and I hope you feel better. I have had several falls, so far lucky with no breaks or concussions. I work on my walking and I exercise every day but I find that each fall leaves me less of a confident and able walker than I was. I try to scan the sidewalk maybe 10 feet ahead,, not straight down, and I am going to do more balance exercises.
Being afraid that you are going to fall makes you more vulnerable to falling, so I try to be confident, or at least calm and aware.
Reply to Deb Stanton:
Looks great— just ordered in online
The premise is SO TRUE!!
Thank you!!
I’m so glad you’re ok. I fell and broke my elbow while visiting my mother in Florida for her 95th birthday (she wasn’t with me at the time). My physical therapist told me to never look down when I’m walking but always look five feet ahead. It helps you notice all the cracks in the sidewalk before you get to them.
I agree, we are in danger with e-bikes on all streets and sidewalks. Be careful and feel better.
The tune the headline was taken from is “I’ve Just Seen A Face” by the Beatles. As for the fall…..we have to be careful. I slipped and fell last month on my wet kitchen floor and ended up with a concussion. Two good friends of mine fell in the last few weeks and sustained fractures of various bones. It happens so fast we don’t even know what hit us. No offense, but this is a club I don’t want to be part of!
Carol, you write, therefore you are (fine)! Avoid 84-th street by PS-9. That sidewalk is now awful – the worst I’ve seen on UWS!
A neighbor just fell trying to avoid a Citibike which went through a red light.
Luckily not a serious injury
I fell trying to avoid a delivery person on a bike. The powers that be don’t realize how dangerous these bikers who go right through red lights are to older people. Ditto for dog owners who let their dogs go anywhere, sometimes tripping people with their leashes. Dogs that jump, especially big ones, but any dog that startles a person with poor balance, are very dangerous. Of course the dog owners scoff, but I’ve tripped and fallen over a seemingly invisible leash stretched across the sidewalk.
I love your sense of humor. Walk on!
I’m so sorry to read of your recent fall, what an unforgettable experience. Such an occurrence is definitely a shock to the body.
I know longer live in NYC, however I had a couple of falls myself and I was younger. Now, outside of the city, there are still falls and I happened to witness a person speed walking in front of me fall flat hitting her face on a sidewalk, and that too is jarring.
I immediately asked her if she needed help and if she was ok – she just popped right up, abruptly said “No! I’m fine!” And she moved even faster along. Even though I wasn’t speed walking by any means, I was the one who slowed down.
Is the tune Catch me (I’m falling), by Pretty Poison, Jade Starling 1987? That’s a great song.
Please go slow out there. Maybe wearing different shoes/sneakers with stronger support and deeper sense of grounding would be helpful?
PS – I still check-in with the Rag even though I’m out of the city. The UWS was my home for 10 years and a great place for an NYC experience.
Hope you are doing better now. True about the sidewalks. After I fell years ago I took pictures of the sidewalk and sent to the city. THey told me building was responsible for sidewalks..They were fixrd so action works . Write..
I saw at least two Beatles refferences in these comments. The one that popped into my mind was “Falling, yes, I am falling, I am falling in love again….” Glad you broke no bones. People close to me have fallen this year, in each case, breaking their wrist. Doctors at Hospital for Special Surgery tell us that the most common broken bone injury as an outcome of accidental falls is a broken wrist. I’m glad that did not happen to you.
when you see a sidewalk in need of repair, please take a quick photo and send it in through the 311 portal. It actually works! I have followed up on a few and they have been fixed.