My mom is in NH in NY state. She is in a wheelchair, dementia and almost 100% blind due to shingles, and subject to falls from rolling out of bed. We have put these (authorized) precautions into place: Wider bed, fall mats on both sides, lowered bed to the floor, moved furniture away from bed that she may hit, padded the corners of A/C unit, 15 minute bed checks. When I am here and putting her down for a nap, I pack pillows around her and place her big call disc near her bum so she may roll onto it if she wakes up and is on the move, she may accidentally activate it. She is blind and can’t see it, and with the dementia doesn't use it in the normal way. These 2 last procedures are considered “restraints” in NY so are unauthorized, so the aids do this on the down-low and I can’t get them documented into her care plan. This is more than frustrating to me and the nurses. They’ve asked me to consider moving her room across from the nurses station where they think they will be able to spot or hear her and intervene. I hesitate to take this step as she’s been in the same room since moving here 2 years ago, it’s bright and pleasant and her roommate watches out for her and calls for the aids if Mom has a problem. Not her responsibility but she’s a lovely caring person who I try to help as much as possible too. The potential new room is depressing and roommate sleeps 99% of time and is noncommunicative. I want what's best for Mom, but I’m not sure what to do. I don’t want this to be about me, but I sure don’t want to be any more depressed when I’m here than I already am! Before I take this step does anyone have more ideas on bed fall prevention that we could try? They won’t move her unless I agree, and it’s the only thing left in their bag of tricks, although they are not familiar with dealing with blind residents, she's the only one here!
Comuter girl have you ever been a patient in a nursing home?
Yes this lady is blind and can not see her surroundings but I don't believe she is deaf.
Her room mate is a plaesant and careing person and the patient's family visits with her too
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I agree it is the staff job to look after patients but that does not include one on one care 24/7. I would have loved to have had room mates like that when I was in hospital and rehab
Imagine someone who never sleeps constantly poops the bed and waits hours to be cleaned up while you are trying to eat, or comes from a large family who talk loudly in their native language.
I would opt as I said in a previous post to not put Mom close to the nurses station and the constant noise and commotion that goes on there. Pleasant room keeps the room mate in good spirits and looking out for Mom gives her something positive to do with her life.
This familly's problem is stopping Mom falling and getting round the over zealous restrictions on restraints, this is a major problem with many elders blind or sighted.
I will research the fall alarm that rings at the nurses station.
Simple, effective prevention, that really works...at less than $110! My only constant regret is that I didn't think to research and buy one before her recent attempt to get up in the wee hours and, struggling past the hospice provided side-barred bed, managed to fall...breaking her left hip in the process!
Just think, a mere $100 might have saved the $50,000+ surgery needed to repair the break, never mind the pain and lengthy recovery she's now still having to endure. As a retired engineer, I've simply no excuse for myself for not having thought of the possibility and had installed such a simple and effective system in place in time to have prevented all that.
p.s. For anyone interested, the monitor is marketed with the name "Smart Caregiver Wireless Bed Alarm." Just googling that will identify numerous sources. Hope this helps.