Fall alert capers

Gorgeous Gail

Registered User
Apr 17, 2020
79
0
So OH has fallen in the bedroom tonight whilst getting undressed. I was undressed and washing in the bathroom when I heard him fall. Once I saw he was ok I said I'd just go back to the bathroom to put some item of clothes on before helping him to get up. As I walked back to the bathroom his fall detector started dialling for assistance. We live in a bungalow so I belted into the lounge to turn it off. I started back to the bathroom when I heard it dial again - so again I belted into the lounge and turned it off again, on my way back to the bathroom it started to dial again - so I checked in the bedroom and he's sat on the floor with his hand firmly pressing down on the wrist watch, presumably trying to switch the damn thing off but was actually setting it off again! At this point I screamed at him 'take your hand of the watch' and belted back into the lounge to turn it off once again, with the dog running behind me barking like mad because I had shouted.

I then went back into the bedroom to help him to get back onto the bed when the phone started to ring. The Call Centre who look after the fall detector just calling to check everything was ok as there had been 3 abandoned calls for help!!

Thankfully managed to actually get him onto his knees to help to pull himself onto the bed without too much trouble and within 5 minutes he was asleep. I, in the meantime, am wide awake with my heart pumping away!!

Such is the life of a carer!!!
 

Just me

Registered User
Nov 17, 2013
502
0
it could be a comedy script especially when the dog joined in. I hope your curtains were drawn if you didn’t manage to get dressed ?
 

Gorgeous Gail

Registered User
Apr 17, 2020
79
0
it could be a comedy script especially when the dog joined in. I hope your curtains were drawn if you didn’t manage to get dressed ?
Ha ha @Just me blinds definitely drawn thank goodness. Unfortunately our dog is very sensitive to what is happening to OH and regularly barks when he falls, as well as grabbing his arm and trying to hump him when I'm trying to get him off the floor. He too is now lying on the floor at my feet fast asleep!!
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
Getting an adult off the floor is at times almost impossible. My solution was frowned on by carers and physiotherapists alike but it worked. John couldn’t kneel because of a bad knee but could slide on his bottom to the top of the stairs when he fell in the bedroom. With his feet on the second top step and holding on to the handrails on either side he could lever himself up with my help.

This is not much use if you live in a bungalow!
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,443
0
Kent
When my husband was able to follow instructions, I would move a sturdy fireside chair near to him, sit on it and then encourage him to grasp both arms of the chair to lever himself up.

He had no knee problems and this method work for a while

I think the sitting at the top of the stairs a brilliant solution @marionq I`m sure you knew John well enough to be able to assess how safe he was.
 

Gorgeous Gail

Registered User
Apr 17, 2020
79
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Thank you ladies for your suggestions - @marionq absolutely right, no stairs in a bungalow - although if he falls in the bathroom he does sometime shuffle on his bottom to get into the hall where there is more room to move. @Grannie G I will try sitting on the sturdy chair in the future although, as you say, he isn't brilliant at following instructions and never appears to want to get onto is knees as he thinks they are his problem for not being able to walk and for falling.
 

Bunpoots

Volunteer Host
Apr 1, 2016
7,342
0
Nottinghamshire
When my dad fell I used an inflatable pouffe and electric pump under his bum while I stood behind him and he held onto something like the arms of a chair or his Zimmer frame to get him off the floor. He could pull himself up once the footstool had inflated. I got the idea from those Inflatable lifts the paramedics use.
 

Gorgeous Gail

Registered User
Apr 17, 2020
79
0
Thanks @Bunpoots he won't use a walking frame - a regular argument in the house - he's too stubborn - prefers to stagger around grabbing walls and furniture to get round the house which is why he falls so often.
 

Bod

Registered User
Aug 30, 2013
1,958
0
Thanks @Bunpoots he won't use a walking frame - a regular argument in the house - he's too stubborn - prefers to stagger around grabbing walls and furniture to get round the house which is why he falls so often.
Getting hand rails mounted on walls, along regular routes, will help in preventing not only finger prints on the wall, but stops hot radiator's burning hands or being pulled off the wall.

Bod
 

Gorgeous Gail

Registered User
Apr 17, 2020
79
0
Thanks @Bod for the advice - may come to that - having a further visit from OT on Thursday to discuss all the things that have been said to him - and ignored so far. He's fallen 3 times today already, thankfully he doesn't seem to hurt himself when he falls but maybe one day he may not be too fortunate.