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My dad spends most of the day in bed, sleeping. He doesn't like laying lengthwise. He lays in the middle of the bed, almost perpendicular, with his legs splayed over the edge, feet on the floor. He has slipped off the edge and fallen onto the floor several times, but because it doesn't hurt, he doesn't care. He tells me to let him be, and with lots of trouble, he crawls back up himself. It takes him an hour to do so. I tried a bedrail to keep him in, but he doesn't want it, because he has trouble lowering it and wants access to his bedside commode.
His strength fluctuates. Sometimes, he can sit up and go to the commode. Other times, he's so weak and sleepy that he dirties the pull-up diapers he wears. With legs hanging off the bed and him too weak to roll or lift his hips up, I'm not able to change his pull-ups. He's a big man, too heavy for me to move him, and I don't have a helper, just me. I tried a position pad with handles and techniques that a nurse taught me and still can't move or roll him to a better position.
It causes me stress, seeing him hang off the bed like that, knowing he can fall, also knowing that I can't clean him or change him properly. He won't listen to me to put his legs on the bed. Sometimes, he's too weak or sleepy and purposely ignores me.
My dad is 80, has diabetes, heart disease, one foot is amputated (the toe part, the heel is still there), he's unable to walk but can transfer to a chair, fluctuating strength, and is getting weaker. No dementia. Stubborn and obstinate personality all of his life. His care team thinks I can reason with him and convince him of things, but I can't. It's demoralizing when he purposely ignores me and won't work with me at all.

Sleeping with feet over the side of the bed, on the floor, can be a symptom of worsening congestive heart failure. That position eases some of the pressure of fluid on the lungs and so helps with breathing when lying down. A person can do this without even realizing it to an extent. May or may not be the issue here, but something to ask his doctor about.
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Reply to Goddatter
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It's time for him to have 24/7 care by someone else. Find him a good care home and let him know your health is not good enough to care for him at home.
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Reply to JustAnon
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Dad's too sick now to be cared for at home. If you are POA, have him placed in Skilled Nursing care with Medicaid funding if necessary.

If you do not hold POA, tell dad you're quitting immediately. He's causing you entirely too much stress and anxiety by sleeping with his legs hanging off the bed as he does. And your health matters too. He either complies with a small request by you or he finds another willing caregiver to deal with his nonsense.

This is a first in the 10 yrs or so I've been here, let me tell you. I'm sorry you've been put in such a position to begin with.

Best of luck to you.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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If you allow this to continue as is, you will be injured trying to help dad. It’s inevitable. What good will you be to him then? The situation is at an impasse, dad isn’t changing, he’s long shown you his obstinate personality, you’re unable to reason with him, and have injury coming your way trying to physically handle a big person. You can’t reasonably continue in this role, time for dad to have a new plan and you to protect your wellbeing
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Reply to Daughterof1930
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Since your dad won't cooperate with you, stop trying. Take him at his word, and leave him be. Tell him that he needs to hire someone who he will cooperate with, or he can move to a facility. But you are done. There is no point in endangering your physical and mental health for someone who has been stubborn and obstinate all his life and purposely ignores you.

Are you living with your dad in his house, or is he living with you in your house, or do you live separately and go over to take care of him?
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Reply to MG8522
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Time for him to pay for full-time hired help. You don't need to be part of that weird show he has going on. Vote with your feet. Make up a therapeutic fib why you are no longer able to be his hands-on caregiver.
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Reply to Geaton777
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What if you lowered the bed like mattress on the floor? Would that help? Or become impossible for him to get off it to a standing position on his own?
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Reply to Suzy23
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Sorrynotsorry Mar 29, 2026
Such a great idea
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