sleeping

[nikita]

we had a phone call from grans home to say she had had a few falls and they were going to move her bedroom as its happening during the night, when me an mum went to visit yesterday all of one side of her face is black and blue including her eye, there are a few bruises on her other side, when we went to look at her new bedroom they have now got her sleeping on a matress on the floor, has this happened to anyone before. i think she is getting up through the night for the toilet so bed sides may not be a help.

[Brucie]

Hi Nikita

yes, this happened with my wife Jan.

Don't be too alarmed at the bruising etc - it always looks very dramatic, but is not often that serious. Falls can happen, even when the person is on 1-to-1 care.

Once, while Jan was still able to sleep in the same bed as me, she fell out during the night and bit clean through her bottom lip. There was blood everywhere. When the ambulance arrived, they said it would be best to leave her at home because the lip heals so quickly. That turned out to be spot on and she healed very well. I know I was more shocked and alarmed than she was.

For the first two years that Jan was in hospital then in her home, she slept on a mattress on the floor - the whole room was padded in fact, to protect her. Then we bought a special bed that has been absolutely marvellous.
Details are on http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talking...=&threadid=239

At present the bed would not be of use to your Gran, but it is worth bearing it in mind for the future.

It sounds as if the mattress on the floor solution may be appropriate for the time being.

[Sheila]

Dear Nikita, yes, as Brucie says, it does happen. It is done to prevent a fall off the bed when the patient is not aware of the need to be careful getting out and would be likely to climb over cot sides, as in dementia. I have seen it done in both homes and hospitals. I know it looks awful, but if it stops a fall, well, so be it. Love She. XX

[nikita]

i can understand why gran has to sleep on the floor as working with children who have special needs i have come across this before if she had cot sides it would just lead to her wetting the bed if she didnt fallover them if the home had told us on the phone it wouldnt have been such a shock.

[Sheila]

Hi Nikita, yes it is awful getting told of things like falls on the phone, they did that twice in three days to me when Mum fell three times in five days in hospital. The second phone call was to say she'd broken her hip and they rang to say the ambulance had been called and did I want to go with her. Of course I did, but they seemed so nonchalent some how. I do understand. Love She. XX