Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Falls: Rearranging our house and lives to prevent (or accommodate) them

Don has been falling a lot more these days, so today we had a visit from an Occupational Therapist to evaluate and make suggestions on how to make things around the house safer and perhaps prevent some of these falls.  She made some good suggestions and we acted on a couple of them right away.  We have removed the sliding glass doors from the shower (Don had fallen against them from the outside and knocked them off the bottom track); I have replaced them with a shower curtain.  We still need to get another grab-bar up high near the toilet so he can hold on while he pulls his pants up.  She also, strongly encouraged him to use the toilet from a seated position, only.  We will also be getting a bench type shower chair so he can sit; then slide into the shower in a seated position.  We plan to put the rails back on his hospital bed and re-install the trapeze so he can use it for repositioning himself in bed.  We will also be looking into getting a security pole to place beside his bed to give him help in getting to a standing position when getting out of bed.  We also, went to look at lift chairs and ended up buying one...it is SO COMFY and really helps him to stand from a seated position. Several months ago we had rugs and carpets removed and installed laminate wood flooring  to prevent tripping.  After all of this...I was just dozing off for a little nap when my cellphone rang and it was Don (he keeps his cellphone on a lanyard around his neck)....I didn't know that he had decided to go outside and bring in the trash can...he was calling me to say he was in the carport and needed help.  I went out the backdoor and found him face down on the driveway; lodged between his power chair, his scooter and his manual wheelchair.  He was not hurt, but just couldn't get up...I put the removable seat cushion from the wheelchair under his head and got a sleeping mat from the camping gear in the shed, to put under his knees.  He tried for several minutes to get his bottom to raise up so he could get to his knees; then finally told me to get the retired Master Sargent from across the street. With the two of us, one on either side of him, we were able to get him on his feet and seated in his power chair.  About a month ago he fell backwards down the back steps while I was trying to unlock the backdoor...I grabbed for him, but to no avail.  He just curled up in a ball and rolled to the bottom of the steps; again, he was not hurt...but I was a wreck!
He is sure cashing in on his athletic abilities/training...I'm sure if I had fallen as many times as he has, I would have broken many bones and would display many scars, at the very least. We'll keep working on all the safety options, but, honestly, Don says he can never tell when he will fall...his legs just suddenly give way and he ends up "on the deck".  It's not like he gets any warning or can tell what might cause him to go down.  Sitting to remain mobile is his best option now...sounds like a contradiction, but, really...it's harder to fall when you are sitting.

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