1.) Firstly, I would be emotionally shocked and most likely blaming myself for not being careful enough, even if the fall was not my fault. I do not imagine that I would give up completely, but I would most likely have a depressive episode. If a trip hazard was the fault of someone else, I would not be able to forgive the person or entity that led this to occur and I feel as though that would be something that would lead me to obsess over what could have been different. Financially, I can imagine that procuring treatment and a specialized wheelchair would be a challenge as I observe this set back happening a lot for disabled people on social media. As well as how our government limits disabled people from having too much financial freedom in the first place. I like to imagine myself as a nursing home resident sometimes because I did enjoy working there and have come to terms if I were to potentially end up in one, and I would say that I would continue to be social with my peers in the nursing home at least. Social media also helps with keeping in touch with people I know, but I could also imagine feeling FOMO for not being present like I used to be. When I previously imagined being in a nursing home I was still able bodied and only needed 24 hour supervision, so lacking any physical ability would make me frustrated with having to rely on being cleaned and changed by someone else.
2.) As previously stated, I imagined myself in a nursing home needing 24 hour supervision, but not necessarily 24 hour care, so this would be a drastic change in how I expected my ideal life to play out. I imagined that I would be one of the likable residents that everyone enjoyed having around because I would be so funny. Unfortunately for the imaginary nursing staff, I am very particular and if I was bed bound, I would be getting on everyone’s nerves to make things the way I like them since I would not be able to do it myself.
3.) The greatest GRR that I would utilize is my knowledge from working in a nursing home. I have seen what it is like encouraging people who do not want to go participate in PT/OT/ST or even facility wide activities and how much better they would be if they just tried something instead of isolating and sulking about their condition. Knowing that I would be distraught about this outcome makes me more aware of what reframing will do for my situation instead of ruminating on the past. Although there is a risk of fatality from a fall or spinal cord injury, if I survive, I should do what I can to keep my strength instead of letting my overall wellbeing get worse.
4.) Per Kennedy et al. (2013), people who sustain a spinal cord injury that occurred from a fall can make comparable improvements as those who have the injury from other causes, however, their progression is still behind those who have an injury through other means. The article also noted that post-discharge presented additional areas of support such as “bladder management, mobility and overall discharge independence” (Kennedy et al. 2013). It was detailed that this would argue that those who obtained a spinal cord injury from a fall potentially needs further attention to those necessary areas during rehabilitation and that health care professionals to be aware of this to be able to tailor interventions to ensure the most effective outcomes.
References
Kennedy, P., Cox, A., & Mariani, A. (2013). Spinal cord injuries as a consequence of falls: Are there differential rehabilitation outcomes? Spinal Cord, 51, 209–213. https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2012.124
Great share! I really appreciate how you explored the emotional, social, and financial challenges that could come with such a drastic life change. Your insight about how society, and especially the government, can limit the independence of people with disabilities is such an important point, and I agree that it’s something we need to keep bringing awareness to.
Your mention of FOMO and frustration with needing help for basic needs really resonated with me, too. It highlights the complexity of the emotional impact of losing independence. Have you encountered any support systems or technologies that can help maintain a sense of autonomy in such situations?
Hello Iyanna,
In my opinion, the greatest support system or technology that can promote independence are mobility aids. There is such a variety as well, mobility aids for dressing, preparing food, driving, etc. Wheelchairs are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mobility aids if you can imagine!
Your blog post is a heartfelt and insightful reflection on the challenges of aging and disability. By incorporating more emotional strategies and personal experiences, you can deepen the minds of the reader. Also ending on a hopeful or empowering note can leave a lasting impression on readers. Keep up the good work in sharing the important perspectives!
I appreciate your response Kandice.
Staying hopeful is the best way to keep resilient. Having that perspective also helps me now!
Hi Eleasha,
You bring up an important concern about falls and spinal cord injuries, and I think your reflection connects well with the idea of Generalized GRRs. The internal and external supports that can help people cope with challenges, and in the case of fall prevention, home and facility modifications can serve as vital resources. Simple changes like removing throw rugs, adding grab bars in bathrooms, using non-slip footwear, and ensuring good lighting are not just safety measures, they’re GRRs that protect independence, reduce stress, and maintain dignity. Hospitals and nursing homes often add extra layers of prevention such as bed alarms, and therapy to build strength and balance, but your insight about reframing and staying engaged in therapy highlights another GRR: the ability to use knowledge and past experiences as tools for resilience. By combining environmental modifications with your awareness of the importance of participation, you’re already envisioning a strong path forward that protects both physical safety and emotional well-being.
Hello Kacey,
You are right about those various fall prevention methods that I did not originally consider. External GRRs cannot be forgotten!
Hi Eleasha,
The way you described how a fall could affect you emotionally and financially makes a lot of sense and is something I haven’t thought of before. I think the point about how our system limits disabled people from financial freedom is so true and adds even more stress on top of the injury itself. I also thought it was interesting how you pictured yourself in a nursing home, being social but also particular about how things are done feels very real. Bringing in your nursing home experience as a GRR was amazing too. You’ve seen firsthand how much it helps when people participate in PT/OT/ST instead of withdrawing, and that perspective shows how you’d use what you know to push through a hard situation.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your feedback Elvira! Working in a nursing home gave me more perspective than I could ever imagine.
Eleasha,
I was a bit confused at the beginning because you didn’t give any context when you started out. The outline for the blog posts isn’t meant to be a question and answer format. It’s meant to give you guidance about what you should cover in the post you write. These posts are more like papers. We are probably not all going to go back and re-read your first post, so it would be important to set up your discussion.
I did go back and re-read your first post, and I remembered that I was suprized at your discussion of spinal cord injury. Most falls don ‘t result in spinal injuries, but can still be devastating for older adults. The challenge of a fall is the slower healing of broken bones and the other health complications that many adults have. You don’t have to go right to a spinal injury to have a fall decrease mobility.
I think there is a lot more information in the CARA model about GRRs. It’s not about what you know so you can combat all the villians. It’s about building community so that when you face whatever vagaries of aging you personally will face you have a community to support you to handle it in ways that work best for you.
Dr P
The last thing is that falls and older adults is rarely about blame. There can be a million reasons for a fall.