A Day In The Life.......

[disneydream06]

I am starting to feel at my wits end.

Dad fell in his bedroom again tonight. :o
That is the third time this month that he has fallen.
All three of them have been in the bedroom.
I don't know if there is some reason he falls in there and not other places.

I don't know if he would actually be safer in a nursing home or not.
He can fall there too.
The only difference between here and there is there is somebody there 24/7, and here I go to work at night and some times try to go out for a social life.

This is just making me feel like crap.
The thought of talking to dad about possibly needing to go into a home is awful.
Maybe if I had help things would be different.
If I didn't have to work, I know it would be different.

Comments

[ravena_kade]

HUGS HUGS HUGS.

I will say it depends on the nursing home. The nursing home did not end well for my Mom.

Can you figure out if he is bumping into something? Is there a rug? Or maybe he is sliding on a wooden floor?

Will he use a walker?

[disneydream06]

Thank you. :)
I picked up all the rugs when he started using a walker a couple of years ago.
This last time he was actually wearing his shoes, so it wasn't his socks.
If I had to guess, his balance is getting bad enough that if he's not using his walker, in the bedroom space, and concentrating that's when it's happening? Maybe???

[infinita_veritas]

I'm so sorry.

Do you think maybe you could hire a nurse for when you are at work? That might help. *hugs*

[disneydream06]

I haven't looked into it, but I am guessing it's not cheap, and I really couldn't afford it then. :(

[infinita_veritas]

True. It doesn’t hurt to at least look, though. Is there anyone who could help with expenses?

[disneydream06]

Unfortunately, no not really. :(

[sparky955]

Is there any pattern to his falls? Is it going or coming back from the bathroom? Daytime or nighttime?

Whatever you decide, it’ll be what’s right for your family, there is no one answer.

I have been where you are & I am hugging you HARD.

[disneydream06]

Thank you so much. :)

They seem to all be happening in the bedroom.
There isn't room to use his walker when moving around.
So I am not sure if he's just not concentrating enough on what he's doing???

[infinita_veritas]

He might need rails. You can rent them from a medical supply place and his insurance if he has that will pay for it even if it has to be pre approved. I think they even come in and install it for you. It’s definitely something to look into.

[sparky955]

Can you move out everything except his bed & night table to give him more room to use the walker?

(And if he balks about anything being moved out of his room, you might mention residential care is going to the next option if you all can’t reduce his falls.)

One more thing, what would your feeling be about motion-activated night lights along the path he walks?

Hang in there, bud!

[disneydream06]

That is a good idea about some motion activated lights.
I do leave the hallway light on, so it's not fully dark.

[moonblossom]

Oh honey, you do what you have to do to keep him safe. <3<3<3

[cmcmck]

You can't work full time and be a full time carer.

Hope this works out for you.

Hugs

[disneydream06]

Thank you so much. :)

[kaishin108]

Oh Jon!
That is a worry. It is too bad you can't get a roommate that could be there. A person that works days or something.

Nursing homes are SO expensive and with a house, I don't think you could quality for medicaid? What a problem. One of my friends is going thru this with her mom but at least she works at home.

I wish there was something I could do.

Hugs,

[disneydream06]

Thank you so much. :)

I so wish I could just quit work, but there is no way I could afford to do that. :(

[kaishin108]

Maybe if he has a urinal to use at night, hmmm.

more hugs!

[disneydream06]

He does have a couple at the bedside, and using them MOST of the time.
Occasionally on my nights off I will hear him get up and go to the bathroom.
I have started leaving the hallway light on at night, so he's not doing that in the dark any more.
The last three falls have all happened in the morning or evening.
He has only had one during the night. Of course it was the worst, and I was at work and came home and found him down. I hope that never happens again.

[kaishin108]

Ahh I see. I wonder if when he is half asleep and gets up early, if he shuffles his feet. How troublesome, I am so sorry!

It sounds like he needs a walker but he probably would not remember to use it if half asleep or just waking up, sigh.

[disneydream06]

He does have a walker and is pretty good about using it.
Room in the bedroom is kind of tight unfortunately. :(

[kaishin108]

Ahh, not much room. Rooms in our homes can start feeling so small with all our (my) junk. I know that feeling well!

[disneydream06]

Not in his bedroom so much, but welcome to my hoarder home. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kaishin108]

It can happen so easily. Especially if you live in one place for a long time. It helped us a lot to move here to a smaller house but things are starting to pile up...

[disneydream06]

In my defense, a lot of my stuff is collecting. Just collecting too many things. LOL...

[kaishin108]

Me too, it is SO hard to get rid of things!

[disneydream06]

Amen to that.
Even if I am willing to give it up, what if somebody else might want it.
So I hate to throw things away. :o
And if there is sentimental value, I'm sunk.

[kaishin108]

My mom died in 2002 and I still have about 4 boxes of her fabric and also some quilts. Yes the sentimental 'pull' of these items, it's tough!

[disneydream06]

{{{HUGS}}}

[armiphlage]

*hugs hugs hugs*

[disneydream06]

Thank you so much. :)