Falling out of bed(2)

Smyles7720

Hello Everyone, 

For some time now when Mom lies down at night to go to sleep she is crooked. She never tries to change her position or make a remark when I straighten her. I thought it was odd but never gave it a second thought. Two weeks ago I found Mom on the floor playing with papers (happily) in the morning. EMS was called to help her up. Her vitals were good and everything was fine.   The doctor saw Mom in September and everything was good including her bloodwork. The doctor said to take her blood pressure (while she is sleeping) early in the morning to see if her blood pressure was low. I did this for a week. Everything was fine.

Earlier in the week I checked on Mom while she was sleeping and saw her head was about to fall off the pillow and bed.  I went in and adjusted her head back on the pillow. Sadly, I never gave it a second thought. 

This morning I found Mom on the floor happily entertaining herself. EMS was called and once again everything was fine.

I searched the thread and found out some people with dementia are unable to know there position in the bed therefore cannot detect they are about to fall off the bed. 

The thread was old and I was wondering has anyone  recently had the same issue of their loved one falling out of bed?

I found handrails that assist people getting in and out the bed. Can they prevent falling out of bed?

Any advise  or suggestions on  the best handrails to buy?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Marta

Bed rails can cause more falls and injuries for those who are cognitively impaired.

Putting the mattress on the floor should solve the problem. She may be able to get herself back in bed or get herself up by using the mattress as an intermediary;  otherwise, nothing wrong with sleeping on the floor. 

John_inFlorida

My DW fell out of bed, only once so far while she was sleeping.

I got a bed rail for her. I saw the other post saying that bed rails could cause falls, I would like to know more about that.

The rail I purchased seems very heavy duty and works well. It has a strap that goes under the mattress and connects to the bedframe on the other side, so they cant call between it and the mattress. It also has feet that extend down to the floor so it can be used to steady her when she gets up.

So far no accidents or additional falls from bed

sandwichone123

The big risk with bedrails is the people climb over them. If she's falling because she is passive and just doesn't understand the position of her body in relation to the bed, they may be helpful. Where they're often dangerous is when people want to get up and the bedrails are intended to restrain them. That is rarely effective and causes a fall from a greater height. As John said, it's important to assure that the patient can't get stuck between the rail and the mattress.

John_inFlorida

thanks for the info, I would have never thought about them climbing over. As far as I know my DF just rolled over and fell out. I will keep an out for climbing over but I don't think she would do that. The rails we have just cover from the waist to the shoulder, so when u sit up, your pretty much past it

DawnOfANewDay

My mom would fall out of bed. I don't know if she was trying to get up or just fell out.   We purchased bed rails from Amazon that worked for her.  My mom didn't have the strength to climb over rails so that wasn't a worry for us. 

There is no way that we could put her on a mattress on the floor.  I have no way of getting her up.  I can't lift her and she can't get up from the floor. Pulling her up from the bed is hard enough.  I can't imagine trying to pull her up from the floor or trying to get her on a mattress on the floor.

John_inFlorida

there would be no way for my DW to get up either in the mattress was on the floor

the one I bought (also from Amazon) has legs that sit on the floor, so my DW can use that to help herself get out of bed

Smyles7720

Thank you everyone. 

Mom would have a difficult time getting into the bed and unfortunately would not understand how to get out of the the bed  on the floor. I bought handrails from Amazon. Mom likes them- it’s less effort for Mom to get up and go into the bed. 

Good news so I thought………….

Started a new topic…….. I am tired of this disease