The ‘Elderly Had a Fall’: Why the Language We Use About Older People Needs to Change
Editorial
I have been smarting for the last 18 months after I asked the yoga teacher for particular focus on balance in a class after I had been over-optimistic about what I could achieve on a walk, tripping when climbing over a big rock, and ending up on the ground. She reported this to the class as having had a fall, which is not how I see it at all. Language brings a whole set of assumptions, and they’re often negative about older people.
What’s the problem?
We have all seen the phrase.
‘An elderly woman was injured after she had a fall.’
It sounds harmless enough. Polite, even. But look more closely at the language and it reveals some powerful assumptions.
First, there is the word ‘elderly’. Then there is the phrase ‘had a fall‘. Together, they can paint an immediate picture of a frail, vulnerable person whose age is somehow central to the incident.
But what if the woman was 82 and walked five miles a day? What if she was knocked over by someone on a bicycle? What if she tripped on an uneven pavement that would have caused anyone to fall?
The language we use about older people often tells a story that goes beyond the facts. And, all too often, it is a story about weakness, dependency and inevitable decline.
The problem with ‘elderly’
‘Elderly’ has long been used as a supposedly respectful alternative to ‘old’. Yet many older people dislike the term because of the assumptions that come with it.
Say the word ‘elderly’ and many people immediately imagine someone frail, slow-moving, perhaps living alone and in need of care. But age tells us remarkably little about a person’s health, independence or ability.
There are people in their seventies running businesses, caring for grandchildren, travelling the world and taking up new sports. There are people in their nineties volunteering, studying and living independently.
Of course, some older people are frail or need support. But frailty is not another word for old age.
This is why ‘older person’ or ‘older adult’ is often a better choice. Even better, if age is not relevant, simply call someone what they are: a person, woman, man, neighbour, customer, patient or colleague.
Why mention age at all if it has nothing to do with the story?
Did they ‘have a fall’ – or did they trip?
Few phrases have become as closely associated with older people as ‘had a fall’.
It is used constantly in hospitals, care homes and news reports. But it is strangely vague.
Imagine reading that a 35-year-old slipped on ice. We would probably say that they slipped on ice. If someone tripped over a loose paving stone, we would say they tripped.
But when an older person ends up on the floor, the explanation is often reduced to: ‘They had a fall.’
The phrase can make falling sound like something that simply happens to people once they reach a certain age. Almost as if old age itself caused the incident.
Yet falls have causes.
Someone may trip over a rug. Slip on a wet floor. Lose their footing on poorly maintained steps. Be affected by medication. Experience dizziness. Or simply be involved in an accident.
Being specific matters. Saying ‘she tripped on a loose rug’ is not only more accurate than ‘she had a fall’; it may also help prevent the same thing happening again.
‘The elderly’ are not one group of people
Another problem is the way we group people together.
‘The elderly need more support.’ ‘The elderly are vulnerable.’
‘The elderly struggle with technology.’
Older people are easily confused.
Really?
Who exactly are we talking about?
Someone who is 66 has very little in common, purely because of age, with someone who is 96. Even people of the same age can have completely different lives, health, incomes, interests and abilities.
Terms such as ‘the elderly’, ‘the aged’ and even ‘senior citizens’ can turn millions of individuals into a single, rather vague category.
Compare that with how we talk about younger adults. We rarely say ‘the young’ and assume that everyone under 40 shares the same needs and abilities.
Older people deserve the same recognition as individuals.
When language shapes expectations
Words are not just words. They influence how we think.
If we constantly associate ageing with weakness, we may start to expect weakness.
- A doctor might dismiss symptoms as ‘just old age’.
- An employer may assume an older worker cannot learn new technology.
- A family might start doing things for a relative who is still perfectly capable of doing them independently.
- People may assume that an older person is incapable of making sensible decisions.
Sometimes this happens with the best intentions. Concern can easily turn into overprotection.
But independence is important at every age. Taking away someone’s choices or abilities simply because we assume they are ‘too old’ can be just as damaging as failing to provide support when it is genuinely needed.
The point is not to deny that ageing can bring health challenges. It can. Some people become frail, develop disabilities or require increasing support.
The problem begins when we assume that this applies to everyone.
A small change that can make a difference
Changing our language does not require complicated rules.
It simply requires us to be more accurate.
Instead of:
- the elderly
- an elderly patient
- she had a fall
- the aged
Try:
- older people
- a 78-year-old patient”, if age is relevant
- she tripped or he slipped, where the cause is known
- people aged 65 and over, when referring to a specific age group
And, perhaps most importantly, remember that sometimes there is no need to mention age at all.
A person is more than the number of years they have lived.
Perhaps the biggest change we can make is to stop seeing later life as a single story of decline. Ageing is not one experience. Some people need considerable support. Others remain independent and active well into later life.
Most are simply getting on with their lives.
Our language should reflect that.
Written with the support of ChatGTP.
Image under licence from Unsplash+