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Mom was falling and about 5 months ago she went into an Assistant Living. Then she fell there and was diagnosed with blood clots in her legs and is in a Rehab/nursing facility. It is either the hits on the head(she had MRI's and does not have a concussion-Thank God) or Parkinson's disease --her memory is really bad now. I went to a meeting today and they said that Mom can not go back into Assistant Living safely, which I already knew that. The nursing home part of this does not have a spot for her in the Alzheimer's unit and that is where she needs to be so that they can watch her more closely. They told me she was really a "fall risk" and asked if I knew anything that would help her...which I figured they would know that better than I would. I suggested alarms for the bed/wheel chair and they said they do not have those.
Does anyone know anything else I can do to help Mom from falling again?
I'm looking into other nursing facilities that has space for her in the Alzheimer's unit but until then, I really need advice. Thanks!

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For falls, and bedtime concerns, sometimes they can have an extra mattress on the floor, or put their bed on the floor. Logistically this presents new problems.

As far as your having to find a nursing home bed, I bet you thought you would never have to move mom again. There is a very important lesson here--the AL resident needs to move to NH but the one connected to AL cannot accomodate her. Everyone who is currently shopping for an AL has probably been told by the sweetly smiling salesperson, how convenient it is to have a "continuum of care" and how the AL transitions direclty to NH...which is completely false given that requires an empty bed at the exact time you are in need. So everyone, don't believe everything they tell you on the tour of AL. They usually have 10-20 beds for memory/NH level care (nicer ones, in my area) and they never let you tour them. Well one place did, and it was so unlike the AL we could not believe it was same building.
I don't know the answer to this, but its likely to get worse, as more & more people get Alzheimer's. Theres not enough memory or NH beds to meet the demand.
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Some ideas that were used for my Mom. When she went to bed at night, the AL took a sheet and folded her into bed with the sheet wrapped to keep her there. The bed was against a wall on one side. She was rolled on her side facing the wall. A pillow was put at her back and the sheet was tucked across her and under the mattress on both sides. AND, a cushioned mat was placed on the floor next to the bed 'just in case' she fell/got out.

For her wheel chair, they installed a seat belt! (As long as they could demonstrate that she could open it, they skirted the restraints rules). I was so grateful for this solution. I begged for it she had fallen so many times. I always tried to put 'something' on her lap so she wouldn't really see the seat belt! (otherwise she played with it) A sweater or magazine was good for this purpose. She never fell after these 2 measures were in effect.

Look into a 'memory care only' Assisted living facility. That is what she really needs. Good luck, hope this helps.
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My mother fell in her nursing home and broke her hip (or her hip broke and caused her to fall -- who knows?). She has dementia and simply cannot remember not to stand up. This is a huge challenge, whether the person is living in a private home, a nursing home, or a dementia care center. Having someone sit with her 24/7 would probably work, but for most of us that is not a practical solution.

I think my mom would have a hard time trying to get out of her current wheelchair. Also, the staff pushes her up to a table or places her bedside table in front of her wheelchair when she is watching television, for example.

I made a sign with a picture of her call button on it saying "Do not stand up alone. Push the red button for help." I don't know if that helps at all but it can't hurt.

The staff has her out of her room a lot. They move her to where there is constant activity and staff going by. She might sit in the dining room with a cup of coffee and a movie-star magazine. Or they put her in a little sitting area across from the nursing station and give her a basket of little towels to fold.

Her bed is lowered and they put a cushioned pad next to it. They also poke their heads in every half hour or so.

Do a little investigating and make sure that your mom really would benefit from being in the dementia unit. My mother could not wander if she wanted to. Her memory is shot, but she does not have behavioral problems. The ratio of staff to patients is better in the dementia unit, but the need there is so much greater that I don't think my mother would get better attention there. The nursing home staff is experienced at dealing with fall risks and they pay good attention to mother -- she is pleasant, has a sense of humor, and has lots of family coming and going, all things that make her popular. So for us, the dementia care floor does not seem to be the right place for Mom. It may or may not be for your mom. Consider it carefully.
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