She has dementia & is blind. She does not remember that she needs to use the wheelchair. I understand they can not use restraints but by staying in the wheelchair she would be more protected. Also what questions should we be asking the doctors about what is causing her to fall? The last couple of times she did have a UTI. This last fall she fractured her hip in two places. She does not remember falling and no one saw it happen. She is also on Adavan for anxiety. I live out of state but my brother lives close to her. We want to keep her protected as much as possible.
You are right, the facilities cannot use restraints. The way I look at it, even if Mom was back home in her own house, she would be falling even with a caregiver in the house. The caregiver cannot be glued to her, otherwise no meals would be made or any cleaning would be done.
Some elders can break a hip just standing up, it wouldn't need to be a fall. Modern medicine can keep our parents living to 100, but there is no cure for dementia and very brittle bones.
Is she able to propel herself in the wheelchair? Being blind, I would imagine that she might benefit from having someone escort her to a safe place. What if she is rolled up to a table where she can rest her arms and have support if she does try to rise up? I'd inquire from the facility all of the options.
Also, your profile says she is in Independent Living. Is this true? I would be surprised that a blind dementia patient in a wheelchair would have enough support in IL. Have you considered a facility with more direct support?
Ativan is commonly prescribed for anxiety, but it did not help my cousin who had dementia much. She was constantly falling when she took it. She went on Cymbalta for her anxiety. (It's a daily pill.) And she saw a remarkable improvement. Her falls stopped when she went on the Cymbalta, though she is in a wheelchair. (Knock on wood.) I would discuss other options for medication with her doctor to treat her anxiety.
But for the dementia patient in a facility, they probably have similar lighting so vision issues is not the problem. Does she use her call button before trying to get out of bed or chair?
I believe the falling is lost of balance as someone ages, and throw in mucular degeneration [lost of clear eyesight] to the mix, you have a recipe for falling. I know my Mom forgets she cannot stand or walk.