I use "SMART" (Fall Prevention by Smart Caregivers). Their number is 800 650-3637. They are Cordless Bed pads with transmitter. I got the PAD that goes across the twin bed. I love the Transmitter because I can carry it all over the house, in the garage, front and back of the house. The transmitter comes with three different settings (lo-mi & hi). I keep it on low and it is still pretty loud to me. Even when I'm in bed asleep, the low setting wakes me up. I also use a bed rail . This is a life saver for me. I can't do without it. Good Luck.
We use a bed alarm, a baby monitor and a HAND BELL tied to the edge of the top sheet at midway between the top and the bottom of the sheet. We use a rubber band to secure the handle of the bell to the sheet. The bell and baby monitor make it possible to hear when Mom turns over (occasionally a single jingle) and when she pulls back the covers before getting up (multiple jingles). If we had known about using the bell, we might not have invested in the bed alarm. Although properly positioned, diagonally on the mattress, it doesn't go off until she actually is upright and gets close to the edge of the bed just before standing.
Well, we used a wireless doorbell. I plugged it in to the kitchen outlet (we live in a ranch style - added on to the back of the house for Mom) and gave Mom the button when she went to bed - asking her to ring for me if she had to get up... It worked for us, we tried the baby monitor but, it kept my husband awake (he is a much lighter sleeper than I...)
Granjan, I have same problem. Sib & I faced crisis a few months ago when foreseeable accidents at her CCRC Assisted Living landed her in hospital. She then needed proper rehab, & the CCRC does not have medicaid-eligible nursing if this was required after rehab. We also needed to consider limiting # of moves, as each one means a big setback (cognitively). We hired a care manager. She found a 3 star rehab/NH just to get mom discharged from hospital. We were told they would only accept her w/ 24 hour private care(!). They said it's b/c of fall risk. 30k + later, we've all but dumped care manager, who provides the private CNAs at cost. There r 2 excellent caregivers my mother trusts, we hate to lose them. Meanwhile, we need to find a place more suitable for Mom...to die in...while she has some money left with which to offer to private pay for a brief time, and that won't require 24/7 care, but will allow some... There r many places in my metro area, my sister & I feel we need help finding memory care within LTC facility, vs. memory care in Assisted Living environment (great option if money is no object). New care manager says places won't accept pt. needing private aides, we should try to wean Mom from needing them. I don't get what that means. Let her fall? Let her wake up alone & terrified? Dementia means she forgets she can't walk independently, & terrible outbursts when afraid/confused, thinking she's alone, etc. Current NH said move her to room near nurse's station, they'll consider letting us decrease private aides. Of course aides eating up $$, but since she'll need to spend it before she is medicaid eligible, why not use it for her comfort? Been taken to the cleaner x3, have low confidence in decision-making. Don't currently have elder law attorney (had to part company w lawyer relative who practiced beyond her expertise). There is new doc at NH- wonderful man, who has already made major positive interventions, who recommends one NH, one of my own docs who recommends another, care manager with others. I know we need to visit them all, meantime, will current rehab/NH let us put mats on floor? Do we have recourse? Used to think I was a savvy health care consumer...now, I feel so at sea...
Someone mentioned the use of bedrails. If you get the right kind of bad with the right kind of rails, there shouldn't be much of a problem especially if you get what's known as a safety bed. You can get them in various custom sizes and designs from the sleep safe website, they make adult cribs
I chose not to use a bed alarm because my mom is a very restless sleeper and based on my research that alarm would go off way more often than necessary. I currently use a baby monitor on high volume and I have mom wear slippers to bed. Mom doesn't pick her feet up anymore when she walks so the scuffing noise that the slippers make on the wood floor is more than enough noise that I can hear it loud and clear through the baby monitor. I also have cameras in several rooms, including her bedroom and so when I'm on night duty or another aide is, she can turn the volume up on the camera as well and that is good enough to alert us that mom is up and on the move. Good luck. Take care of yourself.
re: How do I get my mother to let me know when she is getting out of bed? She keeps falling!
I agree with Granjan - that your loved on may not remember she can't standup/walk-etc. I had the same experience with my mom, but there were 2 issues in addition to memory - it was her pride and quite often with advanced Alzheimers you have to deal with a case of the "terrible-two" behavior of stubbornness - in which case it will be hard to get her to understand how she's putting herself in danger - so I would put safety first. My suggestion, and what I did was place one side of my mom's bed against the wall and added the hospital type railing on the open side that was the length of the bed. Also, you might find that even though your mom can still go to the bathroom by herself, does she remember to do her hygiene properly - otherwise, there's a possibility of a UTI (infection) - which can add another gray hair a caregivers' head - p.s. thank goodness for Miss Clairol! globee
I was just about to mention the mattress alarm for myself, but someone already did. When my foster dad was in the hospital, much to my surprise they had one in his bed as well as in his geriatric chair when he wanted to sit up in his chair. In order to get him out of bed, they had to diss arm the alarm in his bed to put him in his chair. Then they had to arm the alarm they had in the chair. Anytime they moved him they had to disarm one alarm and arm the other. Just in case they would have missed his alarm going off or couldn't get to him right away, they had someone sitting in his room by the bedside round-the-clock but in shifts. I mean they would have different people sitting with him but they would sit in shifts but there was someone with him around the clock. He was never alone
Bed alarms, they go off and will wake up anyone and everyone in the household.Yes you could lower the bed but then she might fall from trying to stand from a laying position.Bed rails are a toughy..I have had patients try to get over them and fall, I have had patients get tangled up in the gap..there are so many new techniques out there now you might call local nursing home for ideas and products.A medical supply store would definitely help.I have had families use lift chairs for their loved one to sleep in and use a chair alarm.Good luck .
I think the problem is that some patients do not remember they cannot walk and stand up. It doesn't matter if they are low to the ground or attached to a sensor, they are going to try and stand because that is a lifelong habit subconsciously ingrained in their brains and not something they think about. My Mom also tries to stand and then falls when she takes her first step. I have asked Mom's NH to put her walker beside the bed or in front of her chair so that when she tries to stand she will automatically take hold of the walker in front of her. My thinking is that if she realizes she can't stand she will sit back down. I have been unable to get them to try it though. They consider this freestanding walker, not attached to anything, is a violation of the Right To Fall law. Which, incidentally may be the stupidest law that has ever been passed. I like the idea of the cowbell attached to the walker.
I used a motion detector that sounded an alarm when my wife moved arms or legs over the edge of the bed. A baby monitor picked up the alarm noise and transmitted it to two other rooms in the house. It worked well until the patient became bedridden and no longer a "fall" threat.
I agree with those suggesting the bed alarms. I got mine on Amazon for fairly inexpensive (don't go to a medical supply, it'll be triple dollars) and it worked like a charm. Unfortunately, my mother is now is completely bed bound so she won't be falling.
I was skeptical at first. I myself am a retired nurse and I'll agree that the early models did false alarm. However I was desperate. It's really hard handling this on your own and even with my adult children living in the house she would still try and get up without any of us!
The newer alarms are a little smaller so they don't call false alarms. I never had a false alarm, ever and I used it for a good solid year. If you're interested the following is the exact model I got. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00489SJ4S
I would also recommend getting a chair alarm as well. I like the one below but it doesn't have a cord. However, I've used it for a while now and haven't had to change the batteries yet, so knock on wood. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I0KBEO8
http://smartcaregiver.com/ I bought a bed alarm from this company via Amazon about 4 years ago and am very happy with it. I place the pad below my MIL's hips and have about 8 seconds to get downstairs if I'm asleep. [I also place her walker close by to help her steady herself.] I carry the monitor with me so know whenever she gets up. You can also place the pad under her shoulders to alert you as soon as she lifts them off. My set also came with a chair pad but I haven't used it yet. I had thought about a baby monitor but didn't want to hear her talk in her sleep or snore. This bed alarm has given me such peace of mind. Best of luck to you in your search.
Mom used to call me, but stopped that. I am a light sleeper and would hear her move from the other room. But then that stopped working, I would get up every half hour to check on her. So last week I squeezed a twin bed into her room and now I sleep in there.
Best way I know, is to use a baby monitor. it is non-intrusive - on the unit you leave in your mom's room, she hears nothing.
On the other end, when it's turned on, you hear any movement or speech, or coughing. you learn quickly to differentiate from normal sounds to something more varied or that lasts longer - like sounds of getting up.
I've worked in elder care and at nights, always bring my own set, not expensive. When I've recommended it to patients who live with their elder relatives, they have tried and love it. For it is just as reassuring as it is when used for a baby - you can also hear steady breathing which shows sleep. If I hear a little coughing, I wait - if it continues a while, I'll get up and go in, add a hug and a dab of Vicks to the person's chest, or raise the bed a bit - the monitor is really helpful to stay on top of whatever is a risk.
There's a company called Safewander that offers a sensor you attach to clothing and a monitor in the room. It sends an alarm to your cellphone when the person gets up. I don't have experience with it, but it seems more dignified than a loud alarm. Unfortunately, it is a bit costly.
This company is also developing a product that shows promise - a sock with a sensor in it. The senior wears the sock to bed, and when he or she stands up, the sensor is triggered and it sends a signal to a cell phone. I thought it would be available by now. I learned of this product from this TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/kenneth_shinozuka_my_simple_invention_designed_to_keep_my_grandfather_safe
The bed alarms are not that bad any more. It goes off only if your weight leaves the bed, not if you turn or shift. There is also baby monitors that you can hear your mom in the other room, then bed rails you can purchase at the baby section in Wal-Mart. They slip into a regular bed. They all help and are very affordable. I use all three depending on the confusion level of my clients.
ramonamorgan, my Mom would forget she couldn't stand but she still tried to climb out of bed. Having a hospital bed would help, as you could lower the bed to the lowest position, and you would have "fall mats" on the floor.
For my Dad, I bought a small heavy side bar that can be attached to the bed under the mattress. This small side bar was great for him to use to help him stand up enough so he could grab his walker.
Sadly, so many elders as they age tend to fall, and we can only do what we can to help prevent it. Sometimes it is impossible :(
I had a hospice patient who had a walker and we tied a cow bell to her walker at night and put the walker right next to the bed. As soon as she tried to move the walker we'd hear the cow bell clanging. It worked great.
I used a mattress pressure alarm, connected to a bleep. I agree that it takes a certain amount of fine-tuning to get it positioned correctly so that you're not up and down all night if she so much as sneezes. But the bigger problem is that you still have to be close enough to get there before your mother is actually upright and trying to stand... Sigh.
You can get grab rails that fix to the bed frame so that your mother has something to hold on to; that might give you enough extra time? I also found that having a good stout commode next to the bed at night time at least stopped her trying to make it all the way to the bathroom. Have a look at disability equipment websites and see what might suit.
I'm afraid I never completely solved this problem, so all I can really do is sympathise.
I've seen patients in nursing homes sleep on a mattress on the floor to keep from falling. If your mother won't wait for you to help her, it might be better to have her nearer the floor than to have her break a bone. My mother had one of the noise makers at a rehab. It was awful. Every time she moved, the thing went off. There may be ways to make them less sensitive. We cut hers off. A baby monitor might work if she would wait for you after calling and if she had the ability to call.
You can get a mattress alarm that sounds whenever she gets up. I haven't used these before myself, so I don't know if you would be able to get to her in time if she is unable to stand. They use them in nursing homes, so they must be effective. Maybe someone in the group has used one and knows the pros and cons of them.
30k + later, we've all but dumped care manager, who provides the private CNAs at cost. There r 2 excellent caregivers my mother trusts, we hate to lose them. Meanwhile, we need to find a place more suitable for Mom...to die in...while she has some money left with which to offer to private pay for a brief time, and that won't require 24/7 care, but will allow some... There r many places in my metro area, my sister & I feel we need help finding memory care within LTC facility, vs. memory care in Assisted Living environment (great option if money is no object). New care manager says places won't accept pt. needing private aides, we should try to wean Mom from needing them. I don't get what that means. Let her fall? Let her wake up alone & terrified? Dementia means she forgets she can't walk independently, & terrible outbursts when afraid/confused, thinking she's alone, etc. Current NH said move her to room near nurse's station, they'll consider letting us decrease private aides. Of course aides eating up $$, but since she'll need to spend it before she is medicaid eligible, why not use it for her comfort?
Been taken to the cleaner x3, have low confidence in decision-making. Don't currently have elder law attorney (had to part company w lawyer relative who practiced beyond her expertise). There is new doc at NH- wonderful man, who has already made major positive interventions, who recommends one NH, one of my own docs who recommends another, care manager with others. I know we need to visit them all, meantime, will current rehab/NH let us put mats on floor? Do we have recourse? Used to think I was a savvy health care consumer...now, I feel so at sea...
I also have cameras in several rooms, including her bedroom and so when I'm on night duty or another aide is, she can turn the volume up on the camera as well and that is good enough to alert us that mom is up and on the move.
Good luck. Take care of yourself.
I agree with Granjan - that your loved on may not remember she can't standup/walk-etc. I had the same experience with my mom, but there were 2 issues in addition to memory - it was her pride and quite often with advanced Alzheimers you have to deal with a case of the "terrible-two" behavior of stubbornness - in which case it will be hard to get her to understand how she's putting herself in danger - so I would put safety first.
My suggestion, and what I did was place one side of my mom's bed against the wall and added the hospital type railing on the open side that was the length of the bed. Also, you might find that even though your mom can still go to the bathroom by herself, does she remember to do her hygiene properly - otherwise, there's a possibility of a UTI (infection) - which can add another gray hair a caregivers' head - p.s. thank goodness for Miss Clairol!
globee
I like the idea of the cowbell attached to the walker.
I was skeptical at first. I myself am a retired nurse and I'll agree that the early models did false alarm. However I was desperate. It's really hard handling this on your own and even with my adult children living in the house she would still try and get up without any of us!
The newer alarms are a little smaller so they don't call false alarms. I never had a false alarm, ever and I used it for a good solid year. If you're interested the following is the exact model I got.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00489SJ4S
I would also recommend getting a chair alarm as well. I like the one below but it doesn't have a cord. However, I've used it for a while now and haven't had to change the batteries yet, so knock on wood.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I0KBEO8
On the other end, when it's turned on, you hear any movement or speech, or coughing. you learn quickly to differentiate from normal sounds to something more varied or that lasts longer - like sounds of getting up.
I've worked in elder care and at nights, always bring my own set, not expensive. When I've recommended it to patients who live with their elder relatives, they have tried and love it. For it is just as reassuring as it is when used for a baby - you can also hear steady breathing which shows sleep. If I hear a little coughing, I wait - if it continues a while, I'll get up and go in, add a hug and a dab of Vicks to the person's chest, or raise the bed a bit - the monitor is really helpful to stay on top of whatever is a risk.
This company is also developing a product that shows promise - a sock with a sensor in it. The senior wears the sock to bed, and when he or she stands up, the sensor is triggered and it sends a signal to a cell phone. I thought it would be available by now. I learned of this product from this TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/kenneth_shinozuka_my_simple_invention_designed_to_keep_my_grandfather_safe
Invented by a teenager! Awesome!
For my Dad, I bought a small heavy side bar that can be attached to the bed under the mattress. This small side bar was great for him to use to help him stand up enough so he could grab his walker.
Sadly, so many elders as they age tend to fall, and we can only do what we can to help prevent it. Sometimes it is impossible :(
You can get grab rails that fix to the bed frame so that your mother has something to hold on to; that might give you enough extra time? I also found that having a good stout commode next to the bed at night time at least stopped her trying to make it all the way to the bathroom. Have a look at disability equipment websites and see what might suit.
I'm afraid I never completely solved this problem, so all I can really do is sympathise.
My mother had one of the noise makers at a rehab. It was awful. Every time she moved, the thing went off. There may be ways to make them less sensitive. We cut hers off.
A baby monitor might work if she would wait for you after calling and if she had the ability to call.