Injuries

[Clint]

My mother has had Alzheimer's for around 5 years. The nursing home doctor stopped her medication around a month ago as she was not responding to it. Since then she has fallen 5 times and is more severely injured each time. She has fallen again today and split her cheek open and broken her jaw. Is there anything we can do to try to protect her from her loss of balance?

 

[Margarita]

Gosh Clint am sorry to hear about your mother balance in walking & welcome to TP

I am not sure sorry about any medication that can help . what medication did they take away from your mother that was not working for her?

My mother is losing her balance, she is taking Exbixa medication all my mother has is a walking frame & need to get a wheelchair , I am sure someone will advice to more on this issue

 

[Amy]

Hiya Clint, welcome to TP. Sounds as though the medication was still working, if your mum was not having these falls before hand - maybe you need to talk to the doctor. I suspect the only type of medication you would get otherwise, would actually take mum right off her feet and so make her generally less responsive. Which is the lesser of the two evils?
Hope you can get something sorted. Let us know how you get on.
Helen

 

[Amy]

Hiya Clint,
Just had a call from my dad, a bit dad, mum was having herhair washed and fell forward - she has bruised and scratched all her forehead. Minor compared to what your mum has suffered - you feel so guilty though as is you have allowed it to happen.
When my mum was walking a lot and having falls we decided we would rather risk a break, than sedate her. There was little quality of life left anyway, and sedation would just have hastened on the state that she is now in.
I do think that you need to discuss this with the doctor though.Would mum be able to use a walking frame?
Best wishes, Helen

 

[Clint]

Thanks for your support. Mum cannot actually walk in a straight line any more. She does not seem to have any ability to negotiate obstacles so if something is in her way she just walks straight at it instead of trying to go around. She is not getting any real sleep. The nursing staff say she is only napping for around 1-2 hours each night. I think it is time to haul the doctor in and ask what he is going to do and to buy a wheelchair if we can get her to sit in it.

 

[Amy]

Hiya Clint,
You should be able to get a wheelchair through the NHS, I think the request has to come from your GP. In the meantime you can also hire them from the Red Cross for a small charge, might be worth trying before investing in one.
Helen

 

[Amy]

Just seen you are on line Clint, how is your mum doing?
Helen.

 

[Clint]

Thanks for asking Amy. She is very subdued but that is to be expected. Thanks too for the info on wheelchairs. We are checking this out.

 

[Clint]

Sadly my mother had another fall. She then suffered a series of strokes and contracted pneumonia. She has now died. The feelings of guilt at not being there to protect her all the time are hard to deal with. It has rounded off a really naff year as along with the loss of my darling mother, my father died almost a year ago.

Thanks for your suggestions and support.

 

[Amy]

Hi Clint,
Sorry to hear about your mum,but thankful that she is free from her pain. You did what you could - we cannot be with another person 24 hours a day to protect them - even if we could, accidents still happen. You had made sure that your mum was in the Nursing Home, for the care that she needed. As I said before, the only way to stop falls is sedation, which would have robbed mum of what little she had left. It must have been so painful seeing mum hurt, but that was not down to you. If the Nursing Home did what they could to keep her safe, it is not down to them.
Clint, you need to grieve for both your parents. You need to take time for yourself and be kind to yourself. Thinking of you.
Love,
Helen

 

[Maggie]

I am so sorry to hear about your mother guilt is part of grieving , my thought our with you

 

[mel]

Hi Clint....so sorry to hear about your mum.....Helen's right you need to take time to grieve for both parents....and don't be hard on yourself...you did everything you could...
Again i agree with Helen.....even if you care for someone 24/7 it doesn't prevent falls....you can't watch someone all the time
Take care
Love
Wendy
x