Hi all
Dad is in respite, had a fall Monday taken to A&E, but all ok. had another fall yesterday taken to A&E. All ok, Got back at 3am this morning, carers do hourly checks through the night, found him on the floor at 5am, currently in A&E.
We are still waiting for MRI and appt looking for vascular dementia. CT scan showed age-related decline. He is on medication for postural hypotension.
When visiting, Mum caught him walking out of the bathroom unaided and no zimmer. We told the home this, dad has struggled to settle in so he shouts quite a bit. Prior to the fall yesterday, they had been with him 3 times and he’d had lunch in his room, so I do feel they are checking on him etc. He did 10 weeks in hospital and rehab at the end of last year.
Whilst I know we don’t have a formal diagnosis, does anyone have this experience in vascular dementia with falls? Or falls generally? His short-term memory is gone. Would you forget you need to use a zimmer?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
i hope your father will be ok!!
a friend’s father unfortunately also falls often (luckily nothing broken). he doesn’t forget to use the walker, but thinks he can manage a few steps without.
another friend’s father really forgets he has difficulties walking. dementia.
i hope your father can be reasoned with, to always use the walker.
falls at night (your father was on the floor 5 am) usually mean he tried to go to the bathroom.
many men can use a cup (or some sort of plastic container) to urinate. safer. a cup placed close to bed. he can stay seated on bed and use the cup.
The sad, sad fact is that old people fall. Frequently.
it took us months to get him to use a frame. He said to mum a few days ago bring me a walking stick.
he also forgets he has a catheter at times.
thanks again both much appreciated xx
My husband fell a lot and was very unsteady on his feet. He did however use his hemi-walker(he only had use of one hand due to stroke)and would still fall, so I'm not sure how good any device is at this point.
You may want to talk to his doctor to see if it's time to keep him in a wheelchair for his own safety's sake.
I wish you and your dad the very best.
So yes, when your short term memory is gone, you forget you can't walk w/o a walker or that you can't walk PERIOD. My mother would often try to get up while I was visiting her, which would make my heart race.
Dementia is something I truly hate with every ounce of my being. It strips our loved ones of who they were entirely, leaving only a shell of a person in their place. It also robs US of our parent and leaves us on high alert 24/7 waiting for the next crisis to hit with all the falls and all the hand wringing that goes on.
I wish you the best of luck with all you have in store with your father. May God give you and your dear dad the strength and courage to persevere.
Thank you so much and when I read your posts my heart went out to you both.
I had a chat with the OT in A&E and our SW yesterday. They gave dad a drip and his blood pressure was all over the place. Frailty team checked him out too. He was mobilising ok. I think it’s a miracle he’s in one piece.
I had no idea about the frequency of falls. I had no idea about so much of this.
you are so right. We are constantly on high alert for the next crisis. We hate seeing our loved ones go through it, what it’s doing. we can send someone to space but we can’t ease this.
thanks again. speaking to others and getting your advice helps me so much and I really appreciate it xxx
YES.
Long term memory for that first magical school dance, first car, getting married, a cruise...
Zimmer frame? No.
Living somewhere new? No.
Even being old? No.
I liken it to going back in time to toddlerhood, when falls are frequent. Although, sadly, falls in elder come with much more serious injuries & consequences 😥.
Remove what dangers you can;
* Poor footwear
* Unsafe rugs
* Medical reasons (that postural blood pressure drop!) IF at all possible. Sometimes it is not.
Then add as many protective measures you can;
* Good footwear
* Grab rails
* Lighting (esp bathrooms at night)
* Walking aide provided
* Supervision
Do what you can. Acknowledge it sucks.