Finding the right bed

CraigC

Registered User
Mar 21, 2003
6,633
0
London
Hi All,

My dad has been falling out of bed recently and I'm trying to work out how to address this. Dad is late stages now but still strong and full of beans.

He is still active and walks OK although leaning to one side as he walks. He was falling over in the home quite a bit also, but that has stopped since the quetiapine was withdrawn completely.

So far he has not hurt himself but he has been found on the floor in his bedroom . It is getting to be a regular occurrence.

I have discussed it with the care home manager and we can't decide if he is ready for cot bars as you obviously have the risk of him climbing over them at night and falling even further. There is also the issue of restraint.

For now I'm thinking of getting a larger bed that lies low to the floor with a very flat matress. Less chance of falling and less distance to fall is my opinion.

Any other thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

many thanks
Craig
 

daughter

Registered User
Mar 16, 2005
824
0
Hi Craig,

Mum has a bed grab rail which helps her to pull herself up and steady herself as she gets out of bed. I realise this may not be appropriate for your Dad because he may not remember it's there? I wasn't sure if I could put a link but if you Google Images for "Bed Grab Rail", you should see what I mean.

Best wishes,
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Hi Craig

John also had a spell of falling out of bed. He now has an adjustable bed, which has to be in the lowest position when he is left. He also has crash mats on either side of the bed. They're quite thick, I actually slept on one when John was ill, so I don't think he'd hurt himself if he did roll out. But they might make it difficult for someone who gets out of bed to use the toilet, they'd be difficult to walk on.

They don't use cot sides or grab rails at all, because of the danger of falling.
 

lesmisralbles

Account Closed
Nov 23, 2007
5,543
0
Hi Craig

My step father use to fall out of bed, the NH staff put up cot rail's, he climbed over them. Then the NH staff put his matress on the floor, with a soft pad at the side, so if he fell, 4 inches he rolled onto the pad. It worked. And no injuries. Not a lot of help I know, but it did help Step Dad.
Barb & Ron X
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Hi Craig

well, you know about Jan's solution - the totally enclosed cot. As you say, that may be too much for your Dad yet awhile.

Jan also slept on the floor, as Barb has suggested.

It is so difficult to find a perfect solution.

Sorry, not much help!
 

May

Registered User
Oct 15, 2005
627
0
Yorkshire
Hi Craig,
I think that bed rails may be too much yet for your Dad, he could get himself into all sorts of trouble with them.:( How about crash mats and a very low bed (as you were saying), this should atleast cushion him if he does fall.
 

twink

Registered User
Oct 28, 2005
265
0
71
Cambridgeshire UK
right bed

Hi Craig,

Steve had trouble with cot sides, he got all tangled up and very distressed sticking his legs through them. What the home do where he lives now is put a few cushions under his mattress so obviously the mattress is higher at the side where he falls out and they also have a mattress on the floor. It seems to work for him and I've not been told if he's got out of bed in the night and tripped over it. They are very good at letting me know when he's fallen or anything has happened. He does walk about when he's awake which doesn't seem to be often but he looks wobbly.

Sue
 

CraigC

Registered User
Mar 21, 2003
6,633
0
London
Thanks for all your useful replies. It does seem like this is not an uncommon problem. I'm going to do some serious hunting around but a bed that is very low to the floor as it seem like a good solution for now, at least the risk of injury is lower. It will need to be a compromise as the staff need to get dad in and out of bed at night and change the matress etc.

Sue, they are also very good at the home telling me when he falls but this often happens in the middle of the night so I have some very strange exchanges on the phone in the wee hours. Still, I did tell them to contact me at any time.

Suprising there isn't a better solution but I guess the catch is that the bed rails can introduce other risks as no one can be watched every hour of the night. I did mention putting CCTV in every room but there seems to be an issue with this along with the cost of course. They are considering pressure pads so they know when someone has fallen.

Dad's current home is very accommodating so hope to find a solution to keep him safe at night.

thanks again for all the support and advice, it is all useful.
Craig
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
but a bed that is very low to the floor as it seem like a good solution for now, at least the risk of injury is lower. It will need to be a compromise as the staff need to get dad in and out of bed at night and change the matress etc.

Craig, the advantage of an adjustable bed us that it's height-adjustable, as well as angle, so they can raise it to deal with John, or to change the bedding.

The NH found one for John, but apparently if they feel it is necessary, they can apply for NHS funding to get one. Worth asking!