Is it common for a woman of 56 to have difficulty holding her bladder?

You need a complete: Although many women have difficluty with baldder control the reasons are many. You need to see a urologist for a complete evaluation.

Very common: Many women have some leaking of urine, especially with coughing or sneezing. You should se a uro-gynecologist if one is available, or discuss it with your gynecologist.

Yes: As women age, the supportinfg structures for the bladder may weaken and cause urinary leakage. This becomes much more pronounced when she has kids; the more kids, the higher the chances of urinary leakage. This typically will result in stress leakage and may also be associated with a vaginal prolapse of the bladder (cystocele), rectum (rectocele), or both. Kegel exercises are helpful to treat.