What constitutes a "fall"?

Are you not elderly?How old is elderly?

Yes, it used to just be slipping and falling, or falling over, now it’s ‘having a fall’ which is mainly associated with the elderly,
Or as another poster says somewhere, what paramedics call a
‘Gransdown’ ?

kirk.....elderly is always ten years older than you are yourself.

Sorry...kirc

kircubbin I'm 62, you tell me if that's elderly or not!

Well, I'd like to throw in another possibility..... is a trip the same as a fall or a slip? Because if a trip is a fall, then I had one today. GS aged 3 was pottering along in front of me in the garden, dragging his pedal car behind him. Because I'm elderly 68, I failed to take account of the rear wheels of said pedal car and tripped over them. I thought I'd recovered my balance rather elegantly until GS said in a stern voice "Oh Granny! Be careful!"

The time to be worried is when people are stage whispering “She’s had another fall”, and pointing at you.......

At my previous house, the wheelie bins were situated at the end of the shared yard. They were accessed by a steep flag stoned ramp, which, when wet, were lethally slippy. Late one night I went out to put some rubbish in the bin and stupidly put just a pair of sheepskin moccassin slippers on my feet. Coming back down the ramp, my feet shot from under me and I landed in a heap, with my left leg trapped underneath my not inconsiderably sized backside. I was trapped! Pouring down with rain, couldn't get up because I was sat on the leg I needed to push myself up and no grip because the damned ramp was slippy and I could get no purchase. I sat there for ages until a late night dog walking neighbour hauled me up again. I always made a huge effort to look energetic and sprightly when ever I saw him afterwards.

I think the "elderly" type is to do with general fraility or weakness, or dizzyness rather than slipping in mud or over the dog.
Gransdown tickled me too.

May I add another term into the mix? Where does a stumble fall in the scheme of things.

Is there a pecking order? ?

Good point Marydoll! Maybe I didn't trip over the pedal car wheels; perhaps I stumbled. We need a falling over/stumbling/slipping/tripping expert to give advice. Anyone?

I also dislike the “She’s had a fall”.
Does that mean one is a fallen woman?

62 definitely NOT elderly. I’m 70 and I’m only late middle aged.

Is a stumble like a bumble? Someone I know took a header over their cat in the dark, didn't switch the light on because they didn't want to disturb the cat.

When I saw the title of the OP, I really thought it had been started by a different GN’er, one who is more experienced in this type of discussion.

I fall. But I don't have a fall. I associate that with imbalance and physical weakness that some older people may have due to illness.

I've been falling since I was at school. My skill is in turning my ankle over if the ground is at all uneven. It's got nothing to do with balance and, since the first time it happened I was playing netball at school, it certainly isn't age-related.

Being caused to fall, by tripping or slipping isn't the same as having a fall in my opinion.

So did I Calendargirl maybe we should consult the 'falls' expert,

Now that's a thought, sodapop and calendar girl

Please, no!

Phoenix
I think calendargirl is right. Your punching above your weight when is comes to asking for opinions about falls.
Sorry, but someone had to tell you.

Septimia me too.
I've always been good at tripping and falling.
My knees were always grazed when I was a child.
I can fall very my own (flat) feet.

Sometimes it is lack of concentration (I've always been good at daydreaming too).

Having a fall is different to tripping or falling over.

Over my feet!
(Tripping over my words there).

Has the expert had a fall from grace?

MerylStreep I stand (well, sit, actually) corrected.

A timely question, I fell down the stairs yesterday at least I think I fell I didn’t have a fall as with no shoes my foot slipped off the step and I fell heavily on my backside and bashed my arm, thankfully shook up and bruised but no broken bones that’s not ‘a fall’ is it?