Why The Elderly Like That...

I think you will only know this if you're one who go for jog or walk regularly. If you are, have you seen some of the elderly like to "walk backward" instead of walking normally? I'm wondering why they like to do this. I heard some people(reliability is doubted) said that walking backward may help in memory if one doing it regularly in long term. Tonight, we had dinner at parents' place as usual. I started his topic and my mom told me that there was an incident where an old woman fell down as a result of her walking backward while my mom and her Tai-Chi mates doing their routine in Tai-Chi. Luckily the old woman was not badly hurt, she just got some minor bruises and little bleeding on her skin. I advise to all the elderly, walk in the normal style would be safer as you can't really sense as to any holes, stones or whatever behind you.