Elderly care
Polk65
Posts: 1,405
I've had a rough couple of weeks emotionally. My Mother has fallen down several times and thankfully she hasn't hit her head, broken a hip or any bones.
The first time was late at night in the bathroom when she thought she had slipped on a floor mat. The next day I checked her mats and they looked ok but were worn out on the bottom. She cleans them in a washing machine so over time it has worn down the rubber padding. Replaced.
Problem solved or so I thought.
Then came another fall in the bathroom. This time I found the problem was her sheepskin moccasin slippers. From the top they appear new but the soles were worn slick. She wanted to keep them so I sanded the soles with rough sandpaper. The result was great with rough traction just like new.
Problem solved or so I thought.
The last time she fainted and fell down. After a trip to the emergency room, cat scan, tests, an overnight stay and more stability tests... her diagnosis is low blood pressure. She's not real active and is infatuated with eating a low sodium diet. Her primary doctor prescribed a drug which hopefully will fix this. The yearly physicals have been ok so I guess this can suddenly happen?
Any good owner's manual for elderly care or checking for lurking dangers in the home?
The first time was late at night in the bathroom when she thought she had slipped on a floor mat. The next day I checked her mats and they looked ok but were worn out on the bottom. She cleans them in a washing machine so over time it has worn down the rubber padding. Replaced.
Problem solved or so I thought.
Then came another fall in the bathroom. This time I found the problem was her sheepskin moccasin slippers. From the top they appear new but the soles were worn slick. She wanted to keep them so I sanded the soles with rough sandpaper. The result was great with rough traction just like new.
Problem solved or so I thought.
The last time she fainted and fell down. After a trip to the emergency room, cat scan, tests, an overnight stay and more stability tests... her diagnosis is low blood pressure. She's not real active and is infatuated with eating a low sodium diet. Her primary doctor prescribed a drug which hopefully will fix this. The yearly physicals have been ok so I guess this can suddenly happen?
Any good owner's manual for elderly care or checking for lurking dangers in the home?
Post edited by Polk65 on
Comments
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I cannot offer any help for you regarding this except for the hope that the prescribed drug helps her. My prayers are with your family and the hopes that everything works out for the better.
Tom.~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
Unfortunately, the falls probably won't go away. It's extremely common in the elderly. Does she live alone? She should no longer take baths by herself.
You should look into those wristbands or necklaces where the elderly can press a button when they end up in urgent situations and need to contact someone right away. Sounds corny, but better safe than sorry.
Also, if she can afford it, she should consider hiring an in-home care service, especially during the most active part of the day.HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50 LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub
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My grandma did the same thing. My aunt ended up just taking her slippers away... Kinda mean especially since your mother would like to keep them.
Seems like you should just get her another pair of rubber slippers and tell your mom to just keep the moccassins somewhere else...
Thaz all I can think of... -
All of EB's suggestions are good. The emergency notifier is a LIFE SAVER!!! But you have to make sure she wears her button all the time!
Do look into having a home care assistant come in to help. They will do an assessment of your mother & her living conditions & tell you what has to go for safty sake.
If she has any loose rugs that are curling up at the corners get rid of them. Get a shower chair for the bath tub. DO NOT LET HER TAKE A BATH! She could get stuck in the tub with no way to get out. (it happened to my Mom.)
Look into getting her a pair of these.
http://www.onlyslippers.com/womens-slippers/booties/oldfriendbootee.cfm#navbar=a
I'm wearing a pair right now. They are indoor/outdoor safe with a grip that keeps you from slipping. And they keep your feet incredibly warm.Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2 -
Steve,
I'm sorry to hear about you mom falling down. I started to have the same problem with my mom. She was living alone, getting older, more frail. She had several close misses, trips to the hospital, etc. The advice about getting her an electronic emergency notifier is good. The only problem is sometimes people don't wear them.
Unfortunately, she may be nearing the point where she shouldn't be living alone. We got my mother into an assisted living facility, and it was a big help. There were activities and someone to always help if she needed it. It's a hard thing for everyone involved, my only advice is to get some information about these facilities. Cost, location, services, etc. You may need to make a decision quickly if she has a fall and you just can't take the chance any more. You may have to convince her that is in her best interest. If you have information in hand, it could help convince her of the benefits.
Good luck! I'll keep your mom in my prayers.Carl -
Thanks folks. Slippers have been replaced. Dad is usually around for her but AFAIK those panic buttons only work near the house (receiver). The last time she fainted was on the way over to the library alone. As a follow up, it appears the underlying cause was drinking too much tea. This along with her low salt diet encouraged a low pulse that resulted with fainting. She has reduced intake of tea and is taking her medicine. So far so good.
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Glad to hear things seem to be ok with your mom now. Still keep an eagle eye on her though especially with new medications. Sometimes new meds can reak havic on one's condition (or cause other conditions) until you know for sure that it's working properly. Best of luck & give her a big hug for me!"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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Best of luck with this. I had to go through a similar thing with my grandmother a few years back, and it's not easy. It doesn't help that that generation is very proud and self-reliant; they rarely want or think they need help.If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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Glad to hear things have improved some. Sending best wishes for continued improvement.Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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Thanks folks. Slippers have been replaced. Dad is usually around for her but AFAIK those panic buttons only work near the house (receiver). The last time she fainted was on the way over to the library alone. As a follow up, it appears the underlying cause was drinking too much tea. This along with her low salt diet encouraged a low pulse that resulted with fainting. She has reduced intake of tea and is taking her medicine. So far so good.
cool, but another constant issue with the elderly is dehydration. If they dont drink enough fluids, the low fluid volume can SERIOUSLY exascerbate the fainting problem. At that age, if she is waiting until she is real thirsty to get a drink, she is waiting WAY too long to hydrate. she should try to drink fluids regularly.Living Room 2 Channel -
Schiit SYS Passive Pre. Jolida CD player. Songbird streamer. California Audio Labs Sigma II DAC, DIY 300as1/a1 Ice modules Class D amp. LSi15 with MM842 woofer upgrade, Nordost Blue Heaven and Unity interconnects.
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
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another thought, maybe work over the bathroon with some handholds in the wall. Like those bars you see in a handicapped stall. put them in possible fall areas so she has a place to grab is she feels herself going down.
I worked with the elderly quite a bit in my Ambulance days, so I know the issues and know it well. Know there is no perfect solution, only possible ways to mitigate the problem and minimize risks. Age happens, and know you can not provide absolute protection. there is a guilt factor that might slide up on you, again, I;ve been there. Dont let it bite you if it does. There is only so much you can doLiving Room 2 Channel -
Schiit SYS Passive Pre. Jolida CD player. Songbird streamer. California Audio Labs Sigma II DAC, DIY 300as1/a1 Ice modules Class D amp. LSi15 with MM842 woofer upgrade, Nordost Blue Heaven and Unity interconnects.
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Prometheus Ref. TVC passive pre, SAE A-205 Amp, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E50 DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Von Schweikert VR3.5 speakers.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Mac Mini, Aiyma A07 Max (BridgedX2), Totem Mites -
What meds is she on?
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I hope things work out well for your mom,,mine is 83,dad died in feb 2000,she had been falling,so we had to get her a day sitter,and let her spend her nights with one of us,as she needs assistance in walking,bathroom etc. Funny thing is,her mind is sharp, but her co-ordination,balance is off kilter.We've seen the specialists,Ct's MRI's,Rehab,gait training,etc. She took care of us when we were young,, now it's our turn.I'll keep her in my prayers.JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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In addition to the other excellent suggestions here I'll add you may be able to set up with 'meals on wheels'. It's cheap and available to the mobility challenged.
For my father in law it gave us extra peace of mind because he interacts with the fine delivery folks (mostly retired) 5 days a week, is assured a balanced meal and an extra set of eyes (besides the postal person) on possible problems.
