My mom is in NH in NY state. She is in a wheelchair, dementia and almost 100% blind due to shingles, and subject to falls from rolling out of bed. We have put these (authorized) precautions into place: Wider bed, fall mats on both sides, lowered bed to the floor, moved furniture away from bed that she may hit, padded the corners of A/C unit, 15 minute bed checks. When I am here and putting her down for a nap, I pack pillows around her and place her big call disc near her bum so she may roll onto it if she wakes up and is on the move, she may accidentally activate it. She is blind and can’t see it, and with the dementia doesn't use it in the normal way. These 2 last procedures are considered “restraints” in NY so are unauthorized, so the aids do this on the down-low and I can’t get them documented into her care plan. This is more than frustrating to me and the nurses. They’ve asked me to consider moving her room across from the nurses station where they think they will be able to spot or hear her and intervene. I hesitate to take this step as she’s been in the same room since moving here 2 years ago, it’s bright and pleasant and her roommate watches out for her and calls for the aids if Mom has a problem. Not her responsibility but she’s a lovely caring person who I try to help as much as possible too. The potential new room is depressing and roommate sleeps 99% of time and is noncommunicative. I want what's best for Mom, but I’m not sure what to do. I don’t want this to be about me, but I sure don’t want to be any more depressed when I’m here than I already am! Before I take this step does anyone have more ideas on bed fall prevention that we could try? They won’t move her unless I agree, and it’s the only thing left in their bag of tricks, although they are not familiar with dealing with blind residents, she's the only one here!
Putting pillows around your Mom also worked with my Mom. Less falling out of bed. When Mom was in her geri-recliner, the Staff found putting a pillow under Mom's knees kept her in the recliner a longer time, until later when Mom was wrestling the pillow out from under her knees.
I would vote to keep Mom in her room with the roommate who is alert. Your Mom is quite lucky to have such a lovely roommate :)
At least any nurse or aide at the station could see what mom's up to. They are also portable, so whoever has her as a patient could keep an eye on her.
This "restraint" thing has really gone too far, IMO.
What the heck, it's better to let them fall, break all kinds of bones, tear ligaments, crack skulls, etc. ?
Oh well, guess I'm "old school".
I'm glad the NH is willing to use pillows. I pack pillows all around me in bed -- not because I fall, but because it is cozy and comforting.
Is Mom at risk for falling from her wheelchair, too? We asked for a tray on our mom's wheelchair so she could easily do crossword puzzles. It could be opened by the person in the chair, but Mom never figured that out, so it served as a nice restraint, too.
I feel sorry for the staff who really do want to do sensible things to help, but whose hands are tied.
Baby monitor in the room...perfect but verboten as well. Already tried that.
I did have a good meeting with the head nurse this afternoon and got the call disc placement by her bum approved and put on her care plan, after I demonstrated it. Small victory! And a commitment they won’t move her unless I’m in agreement. She recognizes the relationship we have with the roomie and also was concerned about how a move would affect her as I basically “take care” of her 4 hours a day too, as she doesn’t have family that visits much. They are grasping at straws now however, as am I, and the move is a last resort. Any other ideas are appreciated!
Amazon have a Buzz Lightyear one at a reasonable cost.
amazon.co.uk/Lightyear-Ultimate-Talking-Action-Figure/dp/B002DGNOXO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522880263&sr=8-1&keywords=buzz+lightyear+room+guard
They do other types but I remember this one from the grandchildren.
Just a thought. :)
I actually like the bed rails up it gives me something to pull myself up on.
I would vote not to move Mom to a different room. it probably wouldn't help anyway patients have been known to fall even with three nurses in the room. if the nurses are doing there jobs they should not be sitting at the nurses station peering into patientss rooms in the dark. Unless Mom is also stone deaf it will be very noisy there too at night. Something with a light beam that sounds an alarm sounds like the best solution.
I asked for a trapeze for hubby and I was told he could not have one because they were only for orthopedic patients.
Would it be possible to push one side of the bed up against the wall? I don't know if that would be considered a restraint.
Are they allowed to put alarms under the floor pads?
This is getting really ridiculous. I think military hospitals are still allowed to use restraints. What about prisoners who are taken to hospital and restrained with hand cuffs while the have their babies? How about rubber rooms for the insane are they considered restraints.
What about a rectangle swimming pool under the mattress, the sides preventing her from climbing out. That may be a restraint though.
What about a toddler bed, so low to the ground, designs with sides to prevent toddler from falling out of bed. If a wider bed is needed, get a carpenter involved.
Sorry if these ideas are too too strange.
And finally, stop any medications that may be known or unknown to cause a person to fall. I am suspecting the gerd meds, even the over-the-counter ones that used to be by prescription only. imo.
Mom can hear a pin drop across a room, and can’t see if someone talking is actually speaking to her so her confusion increases. So I also was concerned that the commotion near the nurses station might make her restless sleep even worse, and cause even more “wake ups, get ups” and falls.
I will definitely ask about putting the bed closer to the wall and see what they say about that. Thanks!
Why no baby monitor?
Surely THAT can't be a restraint. So, is it an "infringement" of privacy?
Who the h*ll made these dumb laws anyway? Maybe their loved ones never had dementia and died young.
Given that it's difficult for him to move at all b/c he's so weak, we still haven't figured out how he fell out of bed.
Bed rails wouldn't be used b/c of the danger (worse than falling on the floor???). I've meant to ask if bringing in his Medic Alert pendant would be appropriate; it has a sensor that activates at the monitoring company if a change in position is detected. It's activated when he's fallen asleep and when he falls forward or onto the floor.
I don't know if there really are any good solutions, in part b/c of the ban on some possible constraints. If I could have gotten bed rails, I planned to pad them either with one of the fleece comforters or with the soft padding used in cribs.
It amazes me that technology is wasted on things like VCRs in cars, cameras for backup, yet something as necessary as a decent and safe bed rail apparently isn't on the drawing board. But then, funds for R & D probably aren't allocated by the companies that manufacture products for the aged in the same magnitude as those companies that manufacture vehicles and tech devices.
I understand the video baby monitor, because of privacy, what about a two way voice only one that if they hear her try to get up they can start moving that way and also talking to encourage her to stay in bed?
Another way is to hire an outside home care company to be there one on one when she is most at risk. I’m assuming that is at night. Expensive, but very effective if that person is in the room or sitting right outside the room if the door can stay open.
A wedge bolster or pillow might also help. It would make it more difficult to get out of bed.
I doubt moving her to a room across from the nurses station would help. There is no way anyone can have eyes on her at all times.
At some point a fall will happen, it is despite all the ambulance chasing lawyer ads on TV, no ones fault. Anymore than you can prevent a toddler from falling. Or yourself for that matter if the circumstances are right.
At that point you have to make the decision to have any breaks surgically repaired or call Hospice for Comfort Care. I say this because she would probably not be a good candidate for surgery and more importantly participating in rehab.
Let them move Mom. They moved my mom and it was no big deal. It was actually a nicer room!
I am with everyone who say these anti restraint laws have gotten so out of hand.
You do honestly have to wonder what bright sparks are figuring out these principles, and long to make those people have to try them out personally, in practice.
That said, is it against rules for YOU to install a camera and have that camera alert YOU? With that in place at least YOU would know and could call the nurses.
We had several at the condo (non-invasive areas) for checking on mom and anyone who showed up, when she was still at home. Motion activated, length of recording can be programmed, those who get the alerts can also be programmed (one alert when camera was triggered, one when the recording was done - these can be viewed in the app, and it also has "live" capability, so if you wanted to peek and see what's going on, you can. I opted for the email with a recording static image/access to recording as well when my brother set it up. More was better, except when the OCD sun-downing nightly marathon of checking things over and over and over started!)
If no cameras are allowed at all, that is just plain stupid.
Perhaps we are enough on AgingCare to mount a protest to get these rules removed or amended?!?!?!
Last night we were just discussing the baby monitor idea since some family members just installed one to monitor a newborn via cellphone. Assuming I would have to sneak it in, after consideration I think it would just add more worry/helicoptering to my stress as I would be glued to it. I am already at the NH 4 hours/day so it probably wouldn’t be healthy for me (or my DH).