Frequent Falls

My dad has LBD and since his motor skills are affected, falls were at one time frequent and a constant struggle. I first placed my dad in an MC AL with 40 residents — so it was a locked unit but he had his own bedroom and private bath which he could access unassisted since he was still mobile at that time. For him, this was too large of a facility and too much independence. He needed assistance walking at all times with his walker which he only sporadically received. The private bath was his downfall and I could no longer safely leave him there.

I moved him to an RCF which is a home in a residential neighborhood and only has 8 residents. This was much easier for him to navigate and he was never unassisted. He has not fallen once in the almost 2 1/2 years he has been there. They also allow chair and bed alarms so if he gets up, the caregivers are alerted.

For my dad, this was really the only solution. There comes a time in the journey where walking unassisted is a risk. I will repeat what I heard over and over which is once they start to fall, the falls will most likely continue. Her frailty may make it too dangerous and she may need to transition to a wheelchair. Even with supervision, they seem to always find a way. Walking is so far back in the memory bank that it never leaves them.

Is she on hospice (you mentioned it so I wasn't sure)? If not, you could have PT come and work with her and perform a gait assessment. She should probably at least be using a walker if she isn't already (although it can still be challenging because they don't remember the need to use it). Does she get up unassisted at night? I don't recommend it. If alarms can be utilized, then caregivers would be alerted when she gets up, some places will allow baby monitors at night. Also make sure she has well-fitting shoes with good tread and there are no trip hazards in her room.

It would probably be a good idea to have her vision checked as well as going over medications with her doctor to make sure nothing is causing dizziness and that her blood pressure isn't too low. You could also have her checked for a UTI if the falls started suddenly. Dehydration and anemia can also affect balance. Even with all these precautions, it will always be a worry I'm sorry to say. But they can be managed, although probably not eliminated entirely.

Oh gosh I’m so sorry. She’s so young I just assumed she was still fairly mobile. But I know with EO it can be a quick decline. Can you talk to the facility or hospice and see if they have any suggestions? At one point I was so desperate before I moved my dad that we put his mattress on the floor so he couldn’t get up at night and I also had night sitters for a period of time. It’s a tough thing to manage believe me, I know. But she should not be walking unassisted is the reality.

My mother has vascular dementia and osteoarthritis. Mobility now is becoming a real issue. Last year she had a fall and broke her femur, which they surgically repaired. Of late, she is having trouble with her knees and has slipped and landed on the floor twice. The first one we needed assistance to get her up. She does use a walker but if the falls become too frequent I don't know what our options are as the house cannot accommodate a wheelchair. She is on Medicare, which pays squat.

Thanks for listening.