I have a 94-year old, 130 lb grandfather who is quite stubborn and tries to walk from the bed to the bathroom. We have a commode but he refuses to use it.
In any case, the other day he fell near his bed and my mother who is 63 years old herself had to work hard to try to get him back onto the bed. He has no energy left in his legs due to his energy and age so it's essentially 130 lb of dead weight. She is only one caring for him with no one else in the house to help.
Are there any belts, slings, devices that we can purchase to make it easier for him/her?
Here is some examples but I'm not sure if they work or if there's other creative solutions that we're not thinking about: https://imgur.com/a/GihLHgn
Thanks!
Call 911 (no matter time of day) and tell them someone has fallen and you need public assist to pick them up. He always stated it is not safe to pick up a fallen person and it is likely to injure both parties.
He stated they went to the same home multiple times in the same day. They are happy to assist and it is their job,
Be safe.
She needs to remind him about the fall, how she cannot afford to hurt herself trying to get him up and then tell him potty chair at night...period....no trips to the bathroom. If he insists on taking risks of falling, she'll be calling EMT next time to get him off the floor. You can tell him, if they have to come too many times, they'll get others involved and he'll end up having to live elsewhere. If he continues to take chances, he's going to have the fall that breaks something and very likely your mom will not be able to handle his care on her own anymore. So have the conversation with him - work with us and stay home longer or forever...or be ornery and reckless, take a fall, and be miserable stuck in a bed in a facility.
I would also suggest, ask the doctor to order in-home physical (legs/lower body) and occupational (upper body) therapy. It would probably help him to get a therapy routine started to help with leg strength. Medicare will cover it. I would ask for PT to start first and then switch over to OT to keep some kind of exercise going for longer period of time. If you do both at same time - they both end at same time....maybe a month or two. Then you're off for a period of time. Tell the dr about his fall and weak legs and ask for home health exercise.
Impossible to lift a fallen man
🤗 hugs
With my parents, there were one of two scenarios: Either my dad would fall down and then my stepmom would fall down trying to get him up and they would have to "push the button" so 911 could get them both up, or dad would push the button and Barbara would put out milk and cookies for the paramedics when they came. (They were on a first-name basis with "the boys"!) We nicknamed mom and dad "Wobble and Hobble".
Here are some things you can do to keep Grandpa happy, mom safe, and the paramedics away (but they do like their milk and cookies!):
1) Forbid your mom from ever trying to lift him - never, ever, ever!
2) Get BOTH of them "Help I've fallen and I can't get up buttons". I always recommend that they use the wristwatch type not the pendant because they can sleep and shower with them. The two most important times to have the button are at night and in the shower so it makes smart sense!
3) If Grandpa isn't using one, get him a walker. For $20 extra, get the tray that fits on top of it and a little basket for the front of it. Once he figures out that he can use it to move things more easily, he will use it more often.
4) Take a look at what's on his feet and on the floor. My dad hated to wear shoes and socks are slippery. We got him the "grippy socks" and his life got better. Are there tipping hazards on the floor? Sometimes rugs help, and sometimes they hurt. Take a look.
5) Grab bars? Professionally installed, not the suction ones can be put in hallways, and anywhere else they will make a difference.
6) Get you, mom and gramps, on Youtube and search for videos on how to get up after a fall. There are a lot of easy techniques (I like the two-chair technique) and tips to help dad get up on his own. Obviously, this is only an option if he's strong enough, but if he's walking he may be able to use one or two of those techniques.
7) Exercise and physical therapy. The stronger he is, the less likely he'll fall.
8) NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER get mad or angry when he falls down. He didn't do it on purpose! Empathize with him - laugh it off with him and don't make him wrong, don't beg him to do "X, Y, or Z". Maybe it's a bit of reverse psychology, but having him feel bad, embarrassed, or wrong are just going to lead to more resistance.
9) Whoever said we have to treat our old folks like children is a liar and a fool. Treat them with more love, respect, kindness, and gratitude than they deserve because they deserve even more!
10) Write number 9 down on paper and put it on the fridge or the bathroom mirror so you don't forget!
I hope that helps! ~BRAD
(P.S. That thing in the link... no, no, no, no, no!)