Moved Mom to assisted living November 5th and she never once fell when living independently. Since moving to assisted living she has fallen 4 times. Yesterday required a trip to ER; stitches in her lip, a huge black eye, swollen hand and general bruising on her right side. We can't get a definitive answer as to what happened when she fell.
She's in new surroundings; how long was she living independently, and where? Was it in her own home or with a family member? If she has any dementia, that could complicate her adjustment b/c of the change in environment and "neighbors".
What are her health conditions? Does she take blood pressure meds and how are they monitored? Meds that lower BP can also reach a "critical mass" and cause the BP to drop so rapidly that a person has difficulty standing. That happened to my mother.
BP meds can also cause orthostatic hypotension, causing the BP to drop when a person stands up, often too rapidly.
Syncope is a type of falling w/o specifically known causes. This caused both of my father's falls and femur fractures.
She might have developed an ear infection, or to much wax in the ear and her balance is affected.
She may have developed vision problems that complicate seeing where she is and where's going.
There may be carpeting in the AL facility, or the configuration in her room might not be conducive to clear navigation. There might not be enough grab bars.
I think a good thorough exam of any bodily function that could cause disorientation, dizziness, balance loss and contribute to falling would be a good idea, as well as an exam by a physical therapist.
Let us know; unexplained falls are always a concern.
What are her ailments? Is she taking new medications? They can cause dizziness and poor balance.
If she's falling in the hallway, it could be that she now has a longer distance to walk to the dining room or activity room. That could cause an increase in her overall walking time. Can staff escort her or wheel her there?
She could be forgetting to use her walker or cane. If she has memory problems, reminders don't usually help.
Is she used to walking on hard surface floors? My cousin mainly walked on carpet at home, so the hard floors were tricky for her.
Check her shoes to make sure they fit properly and aren't sliding on the floors.
Is she falling during the night? Maybe, she can't see and falls. Has her vision changed?
Discuss, reducing nighttime liquids and getting meds for sleeping, if she's getting up during the night alone. Also, explore a bed alarm for night use.
I know way after the fact my Dad told me that he and my Mom had fallen down the stairs numerous times... Yikes !!