wtchymlh, both my parents would fall on a regular basis. Elder falls, that's their job. There are things to help, but no guarantees.
My Dad was a tumbler, he would reach down to tie his shoe, and roll right out of his chair. He took it in stride. He did have some ER visits when he fell in the bathroom while trying to get up to use his walker.
My Mom was a whole different ballgame. In her mind she thought she could stand and walk, neither was possible. She was always climbing out of her bed in long-term-care, fall in the mats. The nurses/Aides would pillow her into the bed, placing pillows around her to make it more difficult.
My Mom would climb out of her geri-recliner. Yep, they tried the seat belt, too. They would click her in, and within a minute they would hear click, she would undo the seatbelt. Putting a pillow under her knees help as it made it more difficult for her to climb out, until she learned how to remove that pillow... [sigh].
An elder could be in a room full of nurses and aides, and in a blink of an eye, fall. And as MsMadge, above had mentioned, even if they are glued to the hip with someone, they fall. People do the best they can with the laws that govern how they care for someone who falls.
Falls in seniors are so common and more so with memory care. My Mom's facility lowered her bed at night and placed a mat next to the bed so if she fell she would land on it. They toileted her at regular times to reduce her trying to get to the toilet on her own. Ultimately, I asked for some type of restraint on her chair - which is illegal in my state. So they put a seat belt on her chair and taught her how to use it. Three witnesses watched her open it and confirmed that she was able to open it.--- thereby making it all right to have that restraint! : - / BUT it kept her in the chair not trying to get up! (I am guessing she forgot how to open it!) Memory issues are particularly challenging. Is there a particular place or time of day that he is falling? Perhaps a change of place or practice may help.
Folks at my mom's memory care facility fall all the time and some get hurt quite badly
In the year or she has been there, mom has had three falls with one trip to the ER
The problem is even if someone is glued to them they will still fall - yes meds put them at risk but others forget to use their walker - others fall forward out of their chairs - some fall out of bed
Her facility recommends a product called hipsters which have padding to help prevent fractures in a fall
I don't have mom use them as they are tight like a girdle and I know she'd hate them
She has fallen so many times over the past 10 years that I've lost track and some falls she was inches away from me
Sorry to hear about you boyfriend's falls. It is concerning and I would start by having the doctor review his meds for side effects and see if they are contributing to his falls. Maybe the meds are making him dizzy. Or review his medical situation. Does he use a wheelchair? walker? are there grab bars in the right location? Does he need more supervision? Try having a discussion with the nurse or manager about their protocols. I hope these measures ensure your boyfriend is safe as possible.
My Dad was a tumbler, he would reach down to tie his shoe, and roll right out of his chair. He took it in stride. He did have some ER visits when he fell in the bathroom while trying to get up to use his walker.
My Mom was a whole different ballgame. In her mind she thought she could stand and walk, neither was possible. She was always climbing out of her bed in long-term-care, fall in the mats. The nurses/Aides would pillow her into the bed, placing pillows around her to make it more difficult.
My Mom would climb out of her geri-recliner. Yep, they tried the seat belt, too. They would click her in, and within a minute they would hear click, she would undo the seatbelt. Putting a pillow under her knees help as it made it more difficult for her to climb out, until she learned how to remove that pillow... [sigh].
An elder could be in a room full of nurses and aides, and in a blink of an eye, fall. And as MsMadge, above had mentioned, even if they are glued to the hip with someone, they fall. People do the best they can with the laws that govern how they care for someone who falls.
My Mom's facility lowered her bed at night and placed a mat next to the bed so if she fell she would land on it. They toileted her at regular times to reduce her trying to get to the toilet on her own. Ultimately, I asked for some type of restraint on her chair - which is illegal in my state. So they put a seat belt on her chair and taught her how to use it. Three witnesses watched her open it and confirmed that she was able to open it.--- thereby making it all right to have that restraint! : - / BUT it kept her in the chair not trying to get up! (I am guessing she forgot how to open it!) Memory issues are particularly challenging. Is there a particular place or time of day that he is falling? Perhaps a change of place or practice may help.
Folks at my mom's memory care facility fall all the time and some get hurt quite badly
In the year or she has been there, mom has had three falls with one trip to the ER
The problem is even if someone is glued to them they will still fall - yes meds put them at risk but others forget to use their walker - others fall forward out of their chairs - some fall out of bed
Her facility recommends a product called hipsters which have padding to help prevent fractures in a fall
I don't have mom use them as they are tight like a girdle and I know she'd hate them
She has fallen so many times over the past 10 years that I've lost track and some falls she was inches away from me
The elderly fall and demented elderly even moreso