Cuts and grazes.

janjan

Registered User
Jan 27, 2006
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Birmingham
Dad keeps knocking the back of his hands on things and having to have them covered in plasters, on and off for weeks now. He has AD with L Bodies. I think he is knocking them as he walks up the corridor of his n/home as his mobility has gone down slightly over the last few weeks. has anyone else got any ideas how else he might be getting these cuts?
Apparently he hasn't been seen doing this though. I'm just guessing as i have seen him touch the tv in the home when i went to visit there was a film on in the lounge where a lady was crying for her lost baby and when i walked in the room dad was standing taping the screen with his hand while crying his eyes up, his back was to me so he couldn't see me till i turned him round. I think his eyes and balance is worse so he is banging his hand on the rail walking up the corridor.
He hasn't got a walking stick because his legs was allways good till now.
It's becoming a problem and his hands did look so sore today.
I couldnt help but ask them if the door to his bedroom wasnt locked of at night. I know its against the law for him to be locked in his room but you can't help worring when they are getting unseen injurys. If he was knocking the back of a door this would make the same injury, so i had to ask to put my mind at rest.
I completly horrified the nurse when i asked her. Any ideas . Janet:confused:
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,443
0
Kent
Hi Janet,

Sorry to hear about your concerns for your dad.

You say his mobility has deteriorated. Is he also stiffening up?

Is it possible that as he walks, he holds the walls to try to help his balance, but because of stiffness, knocks the backs of his hands against the wall, rather than turning his hands round so the palms are against the wall.

Sorry if I am unclear here. I`ve just tried it, so I know what I mean and hope you understand what I`m trying to say.

Love
 

Áine

Registered User
Feb 22, 2006
994
0
sort of north east ish
hi janet

my dad used to bang the backs of his hands against the walls and hand rails when he was unsteady. didn't really think about why it was the backs of his hands till Sylvia mentioned it. but I don't think he was sufficiently "together" to make a grab for the rail and thus bang his palm ....... he'd just crash against it with the back of his hand.

that caused bruising rather than cuts though. elderly people's skin does tear very much more easily than younger people's though.

couple of thoughts (more from being an eczema sufferer myself than anything else):

a) could he be hurting himself a little but then scratching/picking at the damage he's done and making it worse?
b) would it be at all helpful for him to wear cotton gloves? might just protect his skin a little from knocks and from him making things worse by scratching.
 

janjan

Registered User
Jan 27, 2006
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Birmingham
Hi sylvia, Yes i think it could be that. Up the corridor is a thick wooden rail, ideal if you can see it properly. I think because he has lewy bodies perhaps he feels like he is walking up a tunnel and can't hold on, if you understand what i mean.
Mom had abad fall last week so i'm trying not to keep a few things back from her because i was concerned she might have been in a bit of shock last week with her own bad fall without her worring over dad too. Naughty of me but no way could she get 3 buses up there and back in her state.
The home tends to ring me because mom is quite deaf and sometimes she doesn't hear all what they tell her on the phone. Also the last 2 weeks dad don't know who i am, so i know he is deteriating, sad but i just have to take a deep breath and remember the good times we had. Can still make him laugh so even if he thinks i am just helping him with his dinner or cuting his nails i can still get a giggle out of him it's worth all the tea in china seeing him smile.
 

janjan

Registered User
Jan 27, 2006
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63
Birmingham
Hi Aine, Yes might try the gloves, might work. Sadly he doesn't do anything now but stare into space or sleep, ocasionaly i see him flick some imaginary thing off say his hands or maybe the chair, but havn't noticed him do this for ages now i think about it. Thanks, Janet.
 

janjan

Registered User
Jan 27, 2006
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Birmingham
P.s moms alot better now and went to see him on Thursday, and the nurses there made alot of fuss over her fall she had, so i think that made her feel someone cares. I know she must miss the attention dad made of her.
 

Áine

Registered User
Feb 22, 2006
994
0
sort of north east ish
janjan said:
ocasionaly i see him flick some imaginary thing off say his hands

just made me wonder ......... you don't think he's seeing things on his hands and trying to pull them off or scratch them off do you? my dad used to spend ages trying to pick up imaginary things ..... he also had lewy body.
 

janjan

Registered User
Jan 27, 2006
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63
Birmingham
No don't think so, maybe a while back when he was more with it. It's only been happening over the last few weeks. No it's all gone now, dont know how you managed to deal with your dad as his illness was so quick. I know this will be the worst time for me now. :( Janet
 

Áine

Registered User
Feb 22, 2006
994
0
sort of north east ish
janjan said:
, dont know how you managed to deal with your dad as his illness was so quick.

I don't know that I did manage to deal with it. Felt like I was just sucked up into a whirlwind and spat out the other end months later - bewildered and full of regrets. :eek:
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
Sorry I have no advice , Just reading along . I must say that I do love the photo fo your father Smiling Healthy face . what a lovely photo :)
 

janjan

Registered User
Jan 27, 2006
229
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63
Birmingham
Thanks Margarita, I'm a bit of a novice at all the up loading and down loading and i do like this picture of dad. With lots of help from my eldest son i am getting there slowly. He's of traveling soon so he's got to learn me more so we can talk on line.
Plus hes sending pics for me to see, so must get the hang of this before he goes.lol.