Hi. I am wondering about a lift for my dad so we can get him up off the floor. We are taking measures to keep him from ending up on the floor in the first place, but I'd like an option for if he does end up there again. He can walk and stand OK but cannot get up off the floor. This lift at Amazon looks like it may work. Any advice? Thanks.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZWP3FG3/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4
if he falls and can’t get up I spread the deflated mattress next to him and he rolls onto it. I turn it on and it inflates. Then he is high enough to transfer to a wheelchair or other chair or his bed. We have used it successfully many times.
calling 911 or the fire department is your best option and we have done that as well. My husband resists calling 911 (perhaps because he is male?)
good luck!
99.99% of the time there is no charge. (as long as there is no transport to the hospital)
The responders are trained to lift someone so they do not get injured and they will not injure the person they are lifting.
my city it ok; the first time I called 911 for lift assist, the operator was cordial enough and took my call.
I think some operators for 911 think they have a sense of power. Your EMERGENCY as you will is in the hands of the agent who took your call.
A year or so back, I witnessed a short policeman struggling with a taller homeless man. I called 911. The female agent was just having fun, trying to get me frazzled, wouldn’t let me explain the emergency. She’d cut me off in mid sentence. I finally decided to stop talking. I told her never mind… officer down.. officer down.. and hung up.
That incident with officer and homeless encounter hit the news…
anyway… i have been up all night.. and needed to vent..,
thinking these 911 calls are getting misdirected when you call from a cell ohone
I get frazzled at times…
i called the station directly.
they said to:
call 911 , it’s not an emergency DH Fell and I need lift assist.”
1st time, no issue.
2nd time, the 911 operator told me… 911 is for emergencies and hung up.
3rd time I called the FD , who said I needed to call 911 , etc, and the prior day 911 opera hung up on me immediately..
the captain was surprised..
so do yourself a favor, get LO evaluated by primary doctor. And talk to primary about falls. My DH fell 3 days in a row. Head injuries? I believe so. Yup.. it did him no good. Think he may incurred other injuries…
Now he’s on hospice care.
and it’s not good.
On the many occasions when I had to call 911 to help get my late husband up off the floor, the EMT's were ALWAYS very kind and helpful and when I would apologize that they had to come out again, they would always say not to worry as that was part of their job.
And you're right, one never knows if a fall can actually hurt or harm a person, so the EMT's(in my case)or fire fighters(in others)coming to assist can help determine if in fact the person who has fallen needs to be taken to the hospital.
I'm sorry you had such a negative experience. I hope yours is the exception and not the rule.
See if you can arrange home physical therapy for your dad. Ask the therapist for ideas on how to assist dad safest should he fall.
You could show the devices to therapist for feedback.
IF she remembers to push her call alert button on her watch, then the calling tree begins. Usually, SIL is the first to make it to the house and she lets the EMT's in, b/c they are called when the alert is made. SIL cannot lift her mother, nor can Dh or his OB. All 3 have bad backs. The EMT's have gone out to do nothing more than put her back in her recliner or bed, depending on the time of day.
She doesn't remember much, but she IS aware that if one of the kids can no longer help her on a daily basis, she is going into a NH. So the EMT's have the code to the door and let themselves in.
Her doorways and hallways are very narrow and do not allow for any kind of 'lifting' equipment.
The EMT's do check her over and she always refuses transport to the hospital (which is her right). Only if the POA says she has to go will she go. And the POA is my DH who will NEVER make that call.
Honestly, if your LO is falling regularly enough now to warrant a $300+ "pick-up" device then it is only a matter of time until there will be a hip break or a head injury. At that point the device will be moot and you'll be stuck with it.
If you're worried about them going to the ER if you call 911 for help, your LO can create a DNH document (Do Not Hospitalize).
Have you thought about physical therapy for this person to strengthen their legs? Are you sure they don't have some other issue, like Parkinsons or balance problems?
The way you used the word "disillusioned" indicates you don't know what it means. You've confused it with "deluded" FYI.
I'm obviously going to get no advice about lifts here. I concede that calling 911 may be the best option, but I do not yet know that based on the responses here as no one spoke directly to the lift I asked about, or about any other lifts. I will continue to investigate the lift option elsewhere. I find it hard to believe that these lifts exist but that there is never a good reason to use them. Thanks.