Anyone else had to slow things down?

Ouch, sounds painful. Hope there are no more falls! I haven't experienced it yet though I do think my brain has slowed down and my memory is going to the dogs. Might be worth having a chat with your GP anyway? Probably nothing but no harm in talking it through.

Not me - I have always done everything slowly.

I remember my little old aunt who was a great laugh and had all her marbles but was riddled - practically paralysed - with arthritis. She said she thought it may be better to be the other way round - physically fit, even if the mind was going a bit. Don't know which I would prefer and I hope I have to wait a long time to find out.

I am a bit like you - I have one speed, and it ain't slow. When we are walking, DH is always telling me to put the brakes on. What does worry me is my loss of manual dexterity. I used to be able to do quite delicate sewing, and tie fishing flies for a hobby but can't manage the small ones these days. Now, although I have sensation in my finger ends, my fingers just don't work as well as they used to. Tying said flies onto a line is getting to be a long winded aggravating affair now whereas it used to take seconds. My own common sense tells me that this is part of the aging process, but my sister was crippled with arthritis in her hands and feet. It is a big fear for me.

Yes I can relate to this, I always did everything at speed & loved multitasking, I still do but have to try to slow down a little as the coordination between brain & body has altered a little bit , either my body is ahead of my brain or vice verser. I was in denial for a while but I now accept I need to ' knock it back a gear ' well that's what dear hubby says!!

I seem to take forever to sort through the coins in my purse. Its my fingers which seem less able to rummage, and my mind, which is less able to process info, not to mention my eyesight!

I tend to do things quickly too. I think my actual joints now need a tenth of a second longer to react to my commands though. I guess this is normal - they've been moving me around for a long time and it is only fair that I give them a bit of leeway if they have slowed up a little.

Oh no! My natural speed has always been 'slow' to the irritation of many, including mother & my DH. But I am not well co-ordinated or balanced - never have been, and even as a child, realised that 'hurrying' (aka normal speed to my mother) just meant dropped things and trips.

I have noticed my DH slowing slightly (my mum never did, but dementia made it all awful) and did wonder if it was 'natural'.
What I wonder, Oriel, is if you brain will catch up if you let it. I am thinking about adolescents (especially boys whose growth spurts are more dramatic) who can get very clumsy when their body and brain are out of synch.

I am enormously grateful to be retired, with a decent pension, so I rarely have to rush - and the GCs are used to me! Although one said to his dad 'nanna isn't slow in the water' and I smiled as swimming has been my salvation over the years.

I am another 'double quick time' person. Yes, I have hand and grip problems, but that is because my carpal tunnel syndrome means three fingers are permanently numb, This is in the process of being sorted.

My problem is loss of stamina. I used to be like the duracell bunny, bounding on while everyone collapsed in a heap behind me I can still do things quickly, but I have to keep building in recovery time

Another here who used to be quick and got tetchy with people who were slower. But, now I am older, have achey joints and have got slower, I find that I get clumsy, drop things, if I am tired, or have overdone things.

Me too! "Do a bit and sit" has become my mantra and I really don't have a choice about that either. At least if you can actually do something you have much for which to be thankful, eh,!?

What do we expect? We are getting older, this is what happens.?
Old age should come with a manual.

lemongrove we are not complaining, I am certainly not, but it is noticing the changes. However much you expect them, they still come as a bit of a shock.

I totally agree "Monica" - I am surprised every day and always expect to be better in the morning!!

If you expect something Monica can it be a shock? ?
Nice to be alive, even if not kicking.

I m neither a quick or slow person and have noticed no difference maybe that’s it I m in the middle and stayed in the middle Bloody boring biddy

It's good to know that it's not just me! It's interesting that those who have always been slow or of normal speed haven't noticed slowing further with age.

I'm not moaning about it at such (although I could do without falling again!) just interested to see if anyone else has noticed similar changes.

That’s what I love about Gransnet, a problem shared is a problem halved. I don’t post that often, but enjoy reading the threads, especially the ones that start ‘does anyone else ........ ‘ and by the time I’ve finished reading, I’m usually punching the air and exclaiming loudly ‘yes!!!’ How wonderful it is to know one is not alone along the rocky path that is later life. Thank you, everyone!

I have discovered this morning that i am not as 'young' as i thought. I spent a few hours working in the garden yesterday in the beautiful sunshine, clearing out greenhouse, lifting pots to store for the colder weather. I also moved a couple of bags of compost to store in a more tidy way, raked leaves and generally had a tidy up. Boy am I paying this morning, my lower back really hurts and its a struggle to move. I have taken 2 anti inflammatories in the hopes it will ease off as i have to drive to meet my daughter today for a pre booked cinema visit. Usually I can work in the garden with no real after effects but this really hurts and has toldme i maybe cant do such long periods in the garden anymore.

When I was going through the menopause, I had 3 bad falls. I read somewhere recently that falling can be a feature of the menopause (can't remember why.....) Having said that, although I'm not aware of slowing down, everything seems to take far longer to do than it used to..........................................

It's become my practice to have a seat between jobs. Now I don't know if this is laziness kicking in or a 'stop and smell the roses' over whatever chore I've just achieved (they're not always gigantic!) but it's working nicely and paces my day accordingly. Used to be constantly on the go but I neither have the need or see the point nowadays. Life is good.....

I really need to slow down as I get a lot of pain with my Arthritis especially in my feet, but it is impossible as DH and I have a 4 storey 7 bedroom guest house and no staff. I should have retired last year had my state pension age not been moved to age 66. We work 7 days a week and are trying to cut down as much as we can and take more breaks but as we have a large mortgage to pay so we can only ease off to an extent.
The thing I have found hardest is mentally reaching my 60s has had a big effect on me, realising you are not as agile as you were (I too have had some falls) and losing family members and friends that are around your age.

Yes I am much like you....I do everything quickly. However, about 5 years ago I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and arthritis in my hip, the pain slowed me down considerably. I was sure I was going to have to purchase a stair lift. However, earlier this year I had a muscle spasm which caused me to not be able to move at all. Lo and behold in July all the pain of 5 years miraculously disappeared and I am able to go up the stairs like a 20 year old. Don't know what happened but I am enjoying it while I can and back to racing about!

I rarely post anything and echo Grammargran! I read the main items each day and sometimes laugh at the funny comments and also learn a lot - which is what it's all about isn't it? I slowed down when I had chemotherapy 3yrs ago. My memory disappeared into the ether along with my concentration. But thankfully, altho almost 70, my fingers still work fine so can sit knitting /sewing etc for hours despite arthritis all over my body it hasn't attacked my fingers - yippee! I am very lucky.

I hope that you're soon feeling better Oriel. I also tend to try and do things quickly.

Any jobs that need doing I speed through them, and get things done, then the rest of the day free for hobbies or going out.

It's time I slowed down.