both parents recently admitted into MC facility and they keep falling constantly

Gabriel

Dear Community, My sister and I recently moved both my parents into the same facility and they share a small apartment. In the past 3 days, they have both fallen a combined 6 times. My father has experienced pain but my mother fractured the same shoulder she fell on a couple of months ago. In the past year, my mother has fractured her spine, broken both wrists and now her shoulder twice. Is this normal? When I speak to the nurses in the ER, they say it is. My parents were asked to leave their assisted living facility because they couldnt handle all their falls. It also seems that the MC facility can't either. I currently don't have an action plan from their new MC regarding this. Should I be concerned? Is this normal? Thank you for any guidance!

towhee

Welcome to the discussion boards. This particular board does not get as much traffic as some of the others, I suggest you repost on the Caring for a Parent board.

Falls are a problem later in dementia and there is only so much you can do, because the PWD cannot remember that they need to be careful. This is a lot of falls though. Too many falls look bad on a facilities record, so I am surprised they are not doing anything. Often when it gets this bad, facilities will start putting the person in a wheelchair as much as possible and having the resident under the eyes of staff whenever possible.

I am just going to throw a few things out there.

Maybe they are not accustomed to the new area and whatever they used to use to grab onto is not there, or they are getting confused. There might have been a medication change. There are trip hazards or inadequate lighting. Staff might not be leaving walkers, etc. in the right place at night. I suggest asking physical or occupational therapist to look at the room in light of the falls and also to check for any physical gait or balance issues. Talk to the doctor to see if there might be a physical problem causing dizziness, like dehydration. Try to determine if there is a pattern in where the falls are, or in time falls occur. Consider hiring someone to stay with them for a few days till they get accustomed to the new location and to gather more information. (did they send your mom back to memory care or to rehab?)

Sometimes if falls are occurring at night, facilities will advise a bed that goes so low to the floor that if residents roll out they will not have so far to fall or will have difficulty getting out of bed to stand up. Get a physical therapist's advice on this, this may do more harm than good, especially if the bed does not go low enough. You would be responsible for paying for the bed.

Gabriel

THANK YOU so much for comments you provided. My sister and I have a meeting with the facility this evening and you have given me some additional topics to discuss. Thanks again!!!

Quilting brings calm

@Gabriel

What was the resulting your meeting with facility staff?
Unfortunately falls are common in both people with dementia and the elderly. People are unsteady on their feet, don’t see hazards, forget to use their cane or walker ( or choose not to). A person could be standing right next to them, but still be unable to prevent the fall. The frequency you mention sounds like they need walkers if they don’t already have them. If they are using them, they may be losing the ability to walk.