Thriving, Not Just Surviving: Maintaining Independence While Managing Falls Risk

At 67, I’ve learned that managing falls risk isn’t about giving up cherished activities; it’s about reframing them. I continue to work, travel, and explore, including tracking wildlife in South Africa, even after experiencing a serious fall. The key lies in balancing safety measures with strategies that support who we are and who we want to be.

Reframing Independence

Research shows that older adults who proactively engage with falls prevention often maintain their independence longer. Instead of seeing a walking pole as a limitation, consider it a tool that empowers you to keep enjoying long nature walks. Adjusting your environment and habits can be an investment in ongoing engagement rather than a concession to ageing.

Professional and Social Engagement

Staying involved in work and community activities often requires small adaptations. Maybe that’s scheduling meetings during peak energy times, ensuring safe travel routes, or taking short breaks to recharge. Such adjustments enable you to continue contributing professionally without sacrificing your well-being.

Adapting Without Surrendering

Adaptation might mean experimenting with new strategies. Need rest periods to maintain focus and balance? Incorporate them. Struggling with certain exercises? Tailor your training to target balance, power, or recovery techniques. The goal is not to avoid activities you love but to approach them with creativity and foresight.

Communicating Openly

Talking about falls risk with family, friends, and colleagues can feel vulnerable. Yet open communication fosters understanding, enabling a support network that respects your independence and offers help where needed. It’s about creating an environment that works with you, not against you.

Planning for the Future

Proactive planning means anticipating changes before they happen. Home modifications, reviewing medications, and building support networks in advance can help you continue living the life you value. Each thoughtful adaptation builds resilience, both physically and psychologically.

Conclusion

Maintaining independence while managing falls risk is a journey of growth and adaptation. By embracing evidence-based strategies, acknowledging changing needs, and seeing adjustments not as losses but as pathways to ongoing engagement, we empower ourselves. With knowledge, support, and a willingness to adapt, we can thrive, remaining active, connected, and true to who we are in later life.

This is the final article in a series of articles on falls.

Dr Denise Taylor is on a mission to reclaim, reframe (and rethink!) retirement. It is not retiring and slowing down but a new phase of life where we have more freedom and flexibility to live a life the way we want.

Denise has been involved in retirement planning for almost 40 years. At 64 she gained her doctorate having researched how people find meaning in life after full-time work. To share this widely her latest book – Rethinking Retirement for Positive Ageing is on sale, published by Routledge. Dr Denise is a Chartered Psychologist, and also a wilderness rites of passage guide combining her interest in transitions and ritual with a love of nature. Beyond her work she gains great fulfilment through owning a private wood.