My mom uses a walker. When she enters the bathroom it stays out, she turns to go in she never pushes it far enough pass doorway and foot hits leg and she fell bad once. I need help to remind her to push it out of her way, she is stubborn to think she knows what she is doing but forgets the bad fall she had. I get up during night where she goes many times, I don't make it on time a lot. I am afraid it will happen again. She has dementia and mid stage Alzheimer's but is independent in many ways. So either ideas to remind her easily or a different walker or device assist that doesn't make her back up to turn away a bit from walker where she still holds onto the edge before grabbing the safety bar in bathroom. Not sure if a cane is stable at night for her where she walks 10 or so feet to come out of her room. Please any help I'll try to do so we help her not confuse her and I don't have to jump to make sure she's ok or to try and prevent another fall cause if she falls again I'm afraid she won't be back home which would kill her sooner. And me cause I could prevent it again. Thank you.
Also, YB has put grab bars all over the apartment, she is literally a hand's reach away from a grab bar in like 80% of her space--she even when she forgets her walker, she does have something to grab on to.
She still falls, but is so slumped over, it's really more of a 'sliding' to the floor and she's never hurt.
My MIL, on the other hand, wants DH to install grab bars all over her house, b/c walking with her walker makes her look 'old'. DH has refused, b/c it honestly would not help her at all. She's still in her home and the kitchen where she spends most of her day is big and if/when she falls, she's 10-15' from the nearest wall where a grab bar would be. She has grab bars in the bathroom only. I guess she walks around the house hanging on to the walls somehow---only SIL is allowed in her home, so why she's being such a princess about this aspect of aging is a total puzzlement to all of us.
Frankly, we're just waiting for that call that's telling us she has fallen AGAIN. She knows one more bad fall like last years will be the last--she will then be placed in an ALF (completely against her will).
So sad when people outlive their ability to make any changes to their pattern of life--esp when it's for their own good.
* Make the bathroom as safe as you can with grab rails, good lighting, no floor mats.
* Try an alternative like nighttime commode.
* Consider a baby alarm so you can hear when Mom gets up.
The goal to minimise risk & falls is a worthy one but to eliminate all risk & falls is probably not possible. Old people can fall. Even when you are standing right there beside them. It has happened to many of us. We feel awful but cannot prevent everything! They let go of wheelers to turn, to pull up pants, to grab a rail, knees buckle, topple backwards or sideways. Mine lept up from her wheelchair & decided to show me she could now walk 😲!
Yellow tape (firmly stuck down) or similar.
Or of course like others have suggested, having a bedside commode next to her bed, would help also. Good luck.
I like Cwillie's idea of a bedside commode...you may have to lock the bathroom door to get her to adopt it. I hope you can find a solution!