Mobility and falls

Hi I hope someone can help. I'm struggling with the PIP question about mobility. I had a brain tumour which means I had stroke like symptoms exacerbated by osteoarthritis on my left side. However, because of my reliance on my right side that knee is now very painful as it's bone on bone in the joint.

I can walk 20 but no more than 50 unaided previously however I'm having regular falls, probably 2 or 3 a month although haven't needed a hospital visit. These are falls to the floor not trips which are considerably more.

I am unable to use a walking stick etc because I don't have the functionality or control to hold it. I almost always go out with someone for support to reduce the risk.

Can anyone advise how this should be answered please? Thank you

Don’t forget to address the issue of if you fall, can you get yourself back up again, unaided? (Assuming the fall itself has not caused injury to prevent you getting back up).

You may be asked this in assessment and it does link in with needing someone with you.

Also, some falls are caused by a persons condition and others by a physical trip hazard or turning their foot on uneven pavement etc…

Be sure to state that your condition causes your falls if it does.

I had to go thru this in my assessment and it was useful to be able to clarify why I fall.

Hello everybody,

I have printed this very helpful question and answers to put in my file.
I have learned a few things from this forum page.

I will add that in my case:
- WHENEVER I FALL IF NEEDED, I GO TO A&E:

- 1) TO GET MYSELF CHECKED IF NEEDED
Lately I fell, I do not remember hitting my head even though I found the side of my head on the floor, but within half an hour I had head pain on that side.
I went to A&E, the doctor gave me a few XRAYS discovered new health conditions but no fracture.
After that I had to go back to A&E as advised by them if headaches worsened, I had a CT scan at A&E.
To this day I still have headaches but less frequent. The A&E doctors said I had a concussion but the CT scan was clear.

2) I ALWAYS ASK THE A&E DOCTOR TO PRINT AND GIVE ME THE REPORT THEY WILL SEND TO MY GP SURGERY AS I MAY USE IT AS EXTRA EVIDENCE FOR PIP OR ESA.
At times they say they cannot, but most of the time they give it to me.
If they do not, I get it from the GP system online or telephone my GP surgery for them to send it to me by text.
I then email it to me so as not to lose it. I also download it on my tablet, print it and put it in my file for future use/evidence.

This A&E report may state things that will back up evidence.
For instance it does state I could not get up by myself and was helped up.
It notes the scratches, bleeding I may have.
It notes if some areas are painful to the touch.
They can note if you walk there with aids and how many.
They mention if you are disorientated, in pain etc.
They could mention like in my case to go to the headway website about brain injury


3)- I FALL DUE TO MY CONDITION mainly, and it is not the injury caused by the fall that prevents me from getting up

4)- I CANNOT GET UP BY MYSELF IF I FALL
And I always tell PIP and ESA that.

Thank you to all the fellow members and moderators for your comments.
One of these comments mentioning that if we cannot get up from a fall by ourselves it does link with needing someone with us.
It makes sense and I find it helpful. In the past I have had difficulties in stressing that I need someone with me. When the time comes I will have to stress the need of someone with me.
It is just I thought if I fall about once a month, or almost fall quite often, ‘they’ may say it does not justify my need to have someone with me every day, but I do need someone with me to help me bathe etc.

Best wishes.