Falls prevention: practical ideas

[Seshat]

Well, I just had my first disability-related fall. Fell out of bed. Landed with two toes bent back, otherwise on knees, elbows and palms. Hurt, but no injury. Back and neck still feel funny.

I guess we're going to have to keep the house fall-safe.

We already have grab rails (planned by an occupational therapist, professionally installed) in the bathroom and toilet, so we can skip that bit of advice.

What other ideas have worked for you folks?

[MoonCat]

Sorry to hear that, Seshat!

My aunt, who had a stroke years ago, uses a wheelchair, and she keeps her walker (I think it's called a walking frame in UK and Aus) positioned right next to her bed facing her. When she gets up, she can literally just move right in between the walker's arms, stand up while holding onto it, then turn and lower herself into the wheelchair which is next to the bed also. I hope that makes sense.

Don't know if that idea will help, that's all I have experience with, though.

[Seshat]

<stubborn> I don't want to use my walker inside the house unless I have to! </stubborn>

<sigh> That sounds like a good idea, and maybe I should take it up. </sigh>

Dammit. I don't WANT to be disabled!

[cindybubbles]

We have a grab rail, too, though it came with the condo, so we didn't need to install it. We also installed a shower snake for my father. I don't know if he uses it, but my mother definitely does now. We also have a rubber shower mat that my mother puts into the tub so that she won't fall when taking her shower.

We rented a shower bench and raised toilet seat for her when she had surgery done on her knee. She still uses her cane and she used to use a walker; it now sits between the foot of the stairs and a large filing cabinet that we use for gifts and other knickknacks.

The above are all well and good, but if your back and neck still feel funny, please see a doctor.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Anybody around you can hang on to if you feel unsteady?

My mom's done that ever since she fell on the ice and broke her leg over 25 years ago.

[Elspeth]

What about a cane? And my mom has to use a walker a lot now.

[Seshat]

We have a shower seat, a raised toilet seat, I have several canes, I have a picker-upper thingy so I have to bend less often. And I have the walker. I do have a wheelchair, but I have noone to push it now that Toth and Bast are sicker than they used to be.

There are walls or sturdy furnishings I can touch or brace myself against along almost all the pathways in the house, and Toth and Bast are both ever-willing mobile supports.

We avoid loose mats as much as possible, and warn each other if floors are wet.

So .. um. I guess we've been trying to be as careful as possible. But maybe we've missed something?

[bhskittykatt]

<stubborn> I don't want to use my walker inside the house unless I have to! </stubborn>

The student PTA here says, use your walker! It's much safer than "furniture surfing" (walking around holding onto tables, walls, counters, etc.).

You could also try a cane in the house. Less stable, but depending on your level it may suit your needs. If you use a walker outside then you are probably looking at a quad-base cane as the best choice instead of the single-point.

[Marmalady]

Seshat, have you considered a guard rail for the bed? The kind that drops down out of the way when you want to get out, to make it easier?

[wolfie]

Do you have an adjustable-height hand-held shower in the bathroom? Some (very few) have the slide rail designed to do double duty as a grab bar - saw one in one of the showers at the TA in Harborcreek PA).

If you're falling, your reaction is to grab ANYTHING in reach, so make sure that anything in reach will take your weight.

[AccountingDrone]

Do you have an adjustable-height hand-held shower in the bathroom? Some (very few) have the slide rail designed to do double duty as a grab bar - saw one in one of the showers at the TA in Harborcreek PA).

If you're falling, your reaction is to grab ANYTHING in reach, so make sure that anything in reach will take your weight.

Here is the bathroom shower in my rental - sorry about the partly crispy shower seat, it actually was in the bathroom at my house when it went up in flames ... Please note, this is one of those no lip stalls that is what is normally replacing a bathtub and it is the same length. Please also note the included shower seat bolted to the wall is out of arms reach of the damned shower thingy.


And 2 shots of the business end of the shower, showing the slidy grabby bit holding the shower head and how there is a vertical one holding the shower head and a horizontal one that are both standard grab bars.




The horizontal one wraps around the shower stall at whatever height is OSHA approved for grab rails.

And keep in mind you don't need to buy regular grab rails for outside the shower. My parents retrofitted their bathrooms using standard inexpensive [nonorthopedic *snerk*] hand rails like for stairs, complete with the little brackety thingies.

And .... engage questioning!

[Seshat]

The student PTA here says, use your walker! It's much safer than "furniture surfing" (walking around holding onto tables, walls, counters, etc.).

I ran that past Bast - and she pointed out that it's possible while furniture surfing for something I grab to fall and pull me down with it.

So ... le sigh. You and Bast are both right. I'll use the walker or the cane. We own a quad cane; it's currently adjusted for Bast because she had a bad episode with her back, but she doesn't need it atm.

Seshat, have you considered a guard rail for the bed? The kind that drops down out of the way when you want to get out, to make it easier?

I've thought about it. We have an appointment with an OT, we'll discuss it with her. Aussieland gives OTs - occupational therapists - an annual fund per patient for supplies such as grab bars and bed rails. So if the OT we get thinks it's going to help me, I'll get one.

But thank you for suggesting it - now I'll remember to ask.

Do you have an adjustable-height hand-held shower in the bathroom? Some (very few) have the slide rail designed to do double duty as a grab bar - saw one in one of the showers at the TA in Harborcreek PA).

If you're falling, your reaction is to grab ANYTHING in reach, so make sure that anything in reach will take your weight.

Yes - last time an OT came by, she specified exactly that sort of shower for our bathroom. All the grabbables in my shower/bath will take the weight of a falling person.

The next OT visit, we're going to have the towel rail replaced by a grab bar.


(Technically, the government owns the grab bars and bed rails and such that they install for we disabled people: but that only means that when we no longer need them, we have to contact the department rather than selling them or passing them on.
Given that we expect to need ours until I die or the equipment does, this is just a technicality to us. )

[wolfie]

All the grabbables in my shower/bath will take the weight of a falling person.

Where did you get the industrial-strength shower curtain (and rail)?

[LesserSouthernFroglet]

Seshat, here's a few tips from my experience. I hope they help a bit.

Make sure whatever shoes you're wearing in the house have a decent, non-slippery sole and fit well.

No trekking about in socks etc. Any dangling dressing gown cords, overlong pants or skirts etc are also a hazard.

Make sure your bedside table (if you have one) is secure and not likely to roll away (on wheels) or topple over. Keep your mobility aids handily within reach of your bed. Try to make sure anything you need overnight is within easy reach of your normal sleeping position.

Get out of bed slowly. Sit up in bed, wait a bit, slide legs over the side, wait a bit, before you try to get fully up. If you need, use walker or stick. If you really think you don't need the walker around the house, leave it near your bed because it is a more stable aid to standing up than the stick. Use the walker to get up, and the stick to move around.

Don't reach or bend over from seated in either bed or chair to get something off the floor - use your pick-up thingie.

If it's dark, make sure a light is on. A lamp or nightlight on the bedside table is good.

Keep every area clutter free and make sure furniture isn't likely to topple over. You can get kits that secure large items of furniture to the walls to help prevent this, and some actually come with straps to help prevent them falling.

Rugs and mats should be either removed or secured on the floor so you don't trip or slip on them. Other slip hazards should be dealt with immediately, eg wet bathroom floors, kitchen spills.

If you need to use the wheelchair, make sure the brakes are on when its not in use by your bed. It is not pretty when it wheels itself away just when you need it.

I find the worst trip hazards at home are the dogs and cats, forever trying to get underfoot! Maybe bells on their collars so you can at least hear when they're close?

I also managed to trip over my own walker - my excuse is it was first day post injury and the drugs were GOOD. So beware of that too!

[Seshat]

Where did you get the industrial-strength shower curtain (and rail)?

...... okay. Good point.
Industrial strength shower rail wouldn't actually be hard to do - just use the same grade of pipe and screw they use to make grab rails with. And actually, industrial strength shower curtaining wouldn't be hard either: there are waterproof or water resistant fabrics that can take that sort of load. The biggest trick would be the curtain rings; but I think I could find something appropriate at the hardware store.

I don't think I'm going to go ahead and do that, though.


Lesser Southern Froglet,

That's a comprehensive set of suggestions, and I think my biggest error was trying to get out of bed before I was properly awake, and doing so too quickly.

We're in the process of decluttering, and because all three of us have physical disabilities (as well as mental - bah) it's taking time. But we're making very visible and noticeable progress.

I'm going to take the suggestions everyone's made, and make up a printout to stick on my wall and remind myself of how to take care of myself.


Thank you all for your thoughts. And if anyone has more suggestions, I'm more than happy to keep listening.

(Edit: quick question. What's the formal name of the Lesser Southern Froglet. The animal, I mean, not you. I googled but didn't find it by that common name.)