I'm a full-time caregiver for my 89-year-old mom with Parkinson's. I have hired an agency to have a CNA sit with her when I'm gone for any length of time. I have been relying on her LifeAlert when I'm gone for less than an hour to run errands. The agency is suggesting she's too great of a fall risk and should have someone there 24/7. I'm not sure we can afford that. Anyone have a similar situation?
BTW, just for anyone who might not think of the obvious...if you have someone, even physically up to errands...but they have dementia, don't forget to get a disabled parking pass. It's a challenge to take my mom to Costco...but I figure the exercise is good for her as is the entertainment of shopping...and I figure the close parking, if there are any spots, is my reward LOL.
There are good options now, which is so refreshing.
I've had agency aides but I'm scared to trust them. The camera is a good idea but I'm not tech expert but will try if soneone knows a good easy one. So now looking for women around community and have meeting today. I'm sorry I'm all over the place because I'm tired and overwhelmed can't get anything done (paperwork) I'm sure you know! She also gets up now in middle night. Thanks for any advice n for listening. Good luck, God bless you.
One fall I had was out in the road when my hip broke and i just collapsed. could not get up and a passing motorist stopped and helped me up . declined further help and slid along the side of the car into the drivers seat. After that drove to the post office and dropped mail in the box. Was going to UPS but decided to go home. drove into the garage and managed a few steps and up a couple of steps to the nearest chair and yelled for DH.
I do have a companion now DH has passed but spend hours alone but can manage with a walker. This week my objective with PT was to be able to get up off the floor by myself. With lots of grunting and creaking I did manage to the astonishment of both the PT and my caregiver. I did wait till there were two people there because I am too heavy for my caregiver alone. She can do it but it kills her back. I had been tempted to try but thought better of it.
Back to the OP I think it is fine to leave someone alone for an hour or so as long as you feel they are safe.
I also think a camera is an excellent idea. My daughter got one for my caregiver so she could check on me when she was outside mowing. I don't think she does.
A friend of mine had a system, may have been Life Alert where if they detected no movement for a set time period they would contact her or contact 911. Not sure how much that cost or if that is an option with all units.
So I guess bottom line, how able is the person to
1. know they need to contact someone for help.
2. Are they able to verbalize the problem.
3. Will they be able to get to a door to let someone in if no lock box has been provided.
4. Will they use it/ wear it all the time.
If a person has been sitting for a while, gets up to go to the bathroom, gets lightheaded and passes out..they will only be able to call after they are conscious and that might be 1 minute, 10 minutes???
There is no "perfect" solution. A fall will happen, not a matter of IF but WHEN. And a fall can happen when there is no one there or when the family is there. It is no one's fault, no one to blame as long as the fall was not caused by something preventable. (area rugs, electric cords, a blanket on the floor, a shoe left by the door, the cat that walked in front of me and 100's of other causes)
Keep things as safe as possible, minimize risk and hope for the best
These things are in my eyes useless, and give you a false sense of security.
Then you have the false alarms which I experienced many, breaking speed limits, traffic laws you name it, only to get there and find out she’s was fine and wondering why I was there and frantic.
Human life is too precious to be left attended by a stupid call button. Get a human it’s worth every penny!
Just my two cents.
When my husband and I did our house renovation, we installed a hook into both sides of the doorway from the bedroom to the bathroom. With a strong anchor point above a door, you can get a simple chair on a pulley and slip the seat under the person. Then it is much easier and safer for the carer to raise the person enough for them to get their feet down.
I've tried all sorts of ways to pickup a fallen person. I've tried a hydraulic lift. That worked great. If I can lift her up 4 inches to slide the lift under her then I can just pump her up to sitting position. The problem is the lift is big and thus where I can use it is limited. I tried building a inflatable lift that works anywhere. That worked pretty well too but the hassle of getting it under her and deflating it was huge. In the end, I just tend to gut it out and pick her up. A few times I've tweaked by back. It's just pain. A thing of the mind.
Is you mom able to go with you on any of these errands. I used to go on short errands with my dad that didn't require him getting in and out of the car. We went to the transfer station, post office, gas station, quick banking, had a car picnic (I packed a washable and decent looking bib that came in its own stuff sack!), and bought essentials at a quick mart where I could see him from inside. Occasionally, I would take him out of car with gate belt to folding wheelchair. Yes, it is work, but we couldn't afford to pay for more 24/7 care. Our town council on aging offered a volunteer who once a month would come to a shut-in's home and prepare a chicken in the oven and while it was cooking, have tea and cookies and social time with the shut-in. They also provided a "day care" two mornings a week that culminates in a lunch. Transportation in the COA Van was free. Those mornings provide huge blocks of time to get things done. I do suggest attending the first session with your loved one to make sure it is a good idea in practice:)
My mother also had Parkinson’s Disease. Although I wasn’t her “caregiver,” I did provide some daily assistance to help her while my dad was away at work. I would go to spend my lunch break with her and bring my kids over after work until my dad got home in the evening. She had both a Life Alert and cell phone strapped on her at all times. I could see the potential of her falling. I encouraged my dad to get someone to come sit with her. All he would agree to was 3 days a week. Good enough. Better than nothing. On one afternoon that the sitter wasn’t there, while making her lunch, she fell in the kitchen and broke her hip. She used her life alert to contact emergency and my dad. Within six months, she was gone. Were there possibilities of her falling if the sitter was there? Yes and no. If the sitter was there, she would have had less chances of a fall because the sitter would have been there to ASSIST her with her needs. That fall was preventable every way I look at it. In my mom’s case, my mom was left for hours by herself. I wish that I had known the things that I know now. My dad never made the house safe for her walker, because he didn’t know any better.
I am now my dad’s caregiver. I have companion help while I’m at work. When my dad first came home from the hospital, they sent someone out to assess the house to ensure it was safe for him and his walker. My parents home has laminate floors with large area rugs and thick throw rugs everywhere, including the kitchen. It all had to go. Changes in the arrangement of furniture etc was recommended. I followed everything they suggested. My dad has had two falls in two years. Both times, I was there, but not in the room. No injuries. Preventable? No. The falls just happened. Was there anything he could knock his head on? No. It’s all been moved or removed.
There are times that I have errands to run as well. I sit him in his recliner with the remote, cell phone, Life Alert, water, and clear instructions not to move around. I also call him while I’m away. It provides reassurance in his case. I also have both of the neighbors phone numbers in case I have to call on help. The other alternative I have available is the two teenage girls that live down the street. They sit with him and chat, or play UNO, while I’m away. It’s a lot cheaper than the companions from the agency.
Okay, I’ve said much more than necessary. Just wanted to give you a well rounded view of my experience.
Take Care & Best wishes to you and your mom.
Some accidents are just no preventable. Thanks for your good words of advice.
I would not go with 24/7 care if all you need is the fall detection. It is very expensive! Does your mom get up during the night? If she doesn't you definitely don't need a caregiver while she is sleeping. If she does you can get alarms that is a pad you place on her bed, if she gets up it will set off an alarm letting you know she is up.
A companion sitter, sometimes they may be called a Home Health Aid. No need to pay the higher cost of a CNA at this point if you do not need it.
I do not see in your profile where you mom is living. If she is living with you then if she is a fall risk you only need someone there if no one else is.
Anyone can fall at any time in their home (or out for that matter) if your mom can get to a phone she can call for a "lift assist" (a call to 911 just to help her up, no transport to the hospital and in most areas there will be no charge) The first responders do need to be able to get into the house so a door should be left open or provide a lock box where a key can be kept. (very common practice but this has to be arranged in advance)
She should have a phone with her at all times if you do not have one of the services where you press a button to summon help. The cost of that is between $50-100 a month and if you live in an area where there are frequent power outages the battery backup is probably not that long. A cell phone may be less expensive. And a cell phone does not have to be activated to make a 911 call it just has to have a charge.
There are many volunteer organizations that have sitters that you can call upon if you have errands to run. Check with your local senior center. This would be for an occasional time not a daily ..sit with mom from 9 to 3..
My mom recently fell getting into bed and I was WITH her, holding on to her, and she fell to her knees. When that happens she is total dead weight. No injury since I have a fall mat but I managed to get her up with a considerable amount of difficulty and a Hoyer lift.
They are more likely to fall with urinary tract infections, upper respiratory infections due to increased weakness and confusion..but also any kind of psychotropic drugs. I have my mom on no narcotics and no psychotropics to minimize this risk.
Even with sitters you cannot eliminate the possibility of falls. All you can do is the best you can and if they do fall just call 911 to get help to get them up.
If she is end-stage later down the road, you may want to consider hospice alternatives. They will offer sitters but they are volunteers.
If you hire a companion not from an agency--although infrequent or rare, they can claim to fall in your home and sue your estate; things get more complicated because you may end up having to pay a nanny tax if you use them frequently..if I do use a sitter it will be from an agency that has insurance, and they do cost more but they handle all the legal stuff like tax laws.
I know she would not push a button if she fell. And she has gotten down onto the floor to take a nap and other gymnastic positions from her youth.
Just my example of our situation being different for comparison.
I know she would not push a button if she fell. And she has gotten down onto the floor to take a nap and other gymnastic positions from her youth.
Just my example of our situation being different for comparison.
I can’t rely on the alert system at this point. We have had two that were defective and didn’t even detect her falls. So naturally if I hadn’t been home she wouldn’t have received care from 911.
I immediately called and reported the defective unit and they did send out new one. If she falls like my mom, she needs someone with her. Last time my mom fell it involved a trip to ER with staples in her head. Thank God, no bleading from the brain or broken bones. It’s terrifying for them to fall. She needed me there. When she was younger and before her falls, I did rely on it for very quick errands.
Don’t depend on them being able to reach phone either. My mom keeps phone close to her but during a fall, everything goes flying.