Bed situations

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

Mom's been rolling around in bed a lot lately. She starts the night by being on the right side of the bed then throughout the night she travels all over it, sometimes onto dad or the floor via the foot of the bed. Not sure if this is the disease or her new medication Clonazepam.

Since we have hospice now, we're thinking about getting her a hospital bed. Those with experience in using a hospital bed, do you think that would prevent her from rolling off the end? We have a guardrail on her side of the bed that she leans over but never gone completely over so in theory, a hospital bed sounds like it'll work.

Would a nighttime aide be needed to help keep her contained in bed as well?

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

She almost rolled off end of the bed last night. Really amazing how she turns 180 degrees and shimmies down to the end. Does anyone else have someone who rolls around in bed like this?

BassetHoundAnn

My mom is also rolling around the bed, and sadly often ends up on the floor. She has a hospital bed, but she swings her legs around the rails. Hospice placed a large spongey fall mat beside the bed so that when she falls she ends up on the mat.

The foot of the bed has a large footboard so she can't slide off the end.

My mom is in memory care and the aids check on her every 30 minutes.

My aunts and grandmother suffered the very same problem when they had Alzheimer's. For one of my aunts their daughters put her mattress on the floor. When I suggested this to my mom's memory care nurse I was told it is illegal in our state because putting the mattress on the floor is considered a form of physical restraint.

For another aunt, her children and grandchildren took turns sitting beside her bed all night.

harshedbuzz

@CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

If she's doing this in her sleep/not trying to get out, than lowering the bed or using a fall mat are generally options. I have also heard of using a pool noodle under the fitted sheet to keep her on the bed.

HB

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

@harshedbuzz she's awake while she rolls for the most part. I'm not sure a pool noodle would work since she rolls over dad when he's there and he's bigger than a pool noodle. Do you know how to tell if the movement is an attempt to get out? Sometimes she manages to sit up at dad's side or the end of the bed, but doesn't go anywhere and falls asleep sitting up.

@BassetHoundAnn thanks for your insight! That was informative and a lot to think about

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

Hospice delivered the bed Saturday but did not include railings so she's still in their queen sized bed, swimming around it all night. We've been taking shifts to watch her so she doesn't roll out but I have no clue how to safely move her. We have a transfer mat but no matter how many times I attempt to use the damn thing, it doesn't work and we both end up sore.

We also do not have floor mats and my older sister said she didn't know they were a thing when requesting the bed even though I sent her a screenshot of y'all's conversation with it explicitly stated. I am mystified how she didn't think there'd be something to reduce the impact of falling.

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

We've got an old mattress from a fold-up cot, would that work as a temporary fall mat? I don't think it'll be as good but it'll at least add cushion...

BassetHoundAnn

Something the aids told me the other day: they raise the foot of the bed at night so my mom can't slide off the bottom of the bed.

harshedbuzz

@CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

I am sorry this is ongoing.

Will hospice deliver rails? In most situations rails are considered "restraints". Their use is also associated with an increase in injuries from entanglement and falling from a greater height when a person tries to go over them.

Can the bed be lowered? The hospital bed my MIL had could be lowered to about 15" off the floor which meant rolling out was unlikely to cause significant injury. YMMV if there's an injury healing or increases fracture risk.

The cot mattress is a great idea. Another option if you aren't to a point where you're bathing/changing mom in bed would be to put the mattress directly on the floor.

HB

Quilting brings calm

When my mom was in the hospital with urosepsis a few years ago, she was really out of it. She had a special hospital bed that sat just a few inches off the floor, had rails totally around it, and the staff put mats all around it. sort of an adult version of a playpen.

ButterflyWings

Hospice usually delivers any requested equipment same day. We have both rails and a mat, it is like a thick gym mat, maybe 2 feet wide, and the length of the bed.

The inflatable mattress helps avoid skin breakdown, etc. and works great but wouldn't work on the floor directly. It had to be inside the hospital bed frame. I'd say just ask for what you need, from the nurse. Hospice is quick and may even have other suggestions.

GothicGremlin

@CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

My sister was falling out of bed a lot too, and she was getting tangled up in her blankets, which in a way was a good thing because they acted as a cushion when she landed on the floor. She's been in memory care now for awhile, and we got her a hospital bed with a 12 in or so high footboard at the foot of the bed so she can't fall out that way. She's also got half rails on the hospital bed. In CA, full rails are considered a restraint, so we can't have them. The footboard was key since she'd just scoot on down and then onto the floor.

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

So far it seems it can take anywhere from same day to up to two for requested items, depending on size of item and what time we ask.

We got the railings today. It's in the middle of the bed so in theory mom can sit up on the edges where it's not and get in and out.

A nurse says they don't have fall mats. So I guess we'll be putting the cot mattress down.

We're moving her into the new space tonight and I don't feel like we're quite ready. All her stuff is still in their bedroom.

CatsWithHandsAreTrouble

The first night in the hospital bed went really well. I was worried that the change from being in her bedroom to downstairs in the hospital bed would be distressing for her. Maybe it was but she certainly didn't seem like it, hardly moved around as she was and seemed to actually get sleep for once. In the morning she was easier to wake and get her ready for the day. She was also able to say a few words instead of grunts and also engaged when I'd talk to her.

Tonight she's back to doing what she was doing before but at least the bed is smaller so she doesn't go far.

Quilting brings calm

it’s always so interesting that one change can lead to behavior changes. Maybe she feels more secure in the hospital bed.