My husband (77) has been struggling with orthostatic hypotension. For 6 months now, he has been falling (at least 17 times). He has been hospitalized, placed in assisted living for physical therapy, and now has PT coming in a couple days a week for home healthcare.
In the last three days he has fallen and struck his head three times. I took him to the ER yesterday for fall #15. He was released with a change in his blood pressure medicine.
I know that placing him in assisted living is not going to prevent falls. I’m really at a loss as how to best care for him.
See the MD. That's about the best you can do and hope there's some relief. I would want a good thorough neuro-pysch examine also to rule out any issues such as Parkinson's and so on. Good luck.
Please consider a good walker or a wheelchair in the house for him. If he is sitting in a wheelchair, chances are falls are not going to happen very often.
You might also consider an electric lift chair to help him get off the floor when he falls. They range from about $300-$400. I looked into this for my mother and Medicare does not pay for this. So it would be out-of-pocket.
I’m sure you’re exhausted from caring for him and you might think about putting him in assisted living for some respite care for yourself and while he’s there, think about him either staying there permanently or you can bring him home. I believe Medicare will pay for some respite care. I’m not sure if they will pay the full amount or if it’s 80%.
Please also make sure you are his power of attorney and get that done right away as well as making sure you have a Trust in place. Also make sure your name is on all bank accounts and investment accounts. Do this before your husband may get dementia down the road.
It’s not a bad idea to see an elder attorney who has good legal advice. They may also be under the name of family law.
Take care and I hope this helps,
Kat
a day . Has not fallen since.Just FYI
You can not manage this at home. Find a skilled nursing facility which offers physical therapy. It won't be high level PT, but it could help him to maintain his strength and mobility to some degree.
Actually, you could manage this at home, but you MUST insist that he use a mobility device. If he is too weak or unsteady to use a walker, then get him a wheelchair, or even a motorized scooter. He should NOT be attempting to walk at all!
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