How To Prevent Falls

Hello and thanks for writing. Welcome to our community.

You ask a common question, one that causes much concern. Here's some information on preventing falls:

The First 48 Hours: Preventing a Fall

http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/9487/9971/48-hours-fall/

Practical Ways to Prevent Falls

http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/3120/7025/ways-falls/

The caregiver members on our site will be able to offer more hands-on advice. You'll likely hear from some of them soon.

Best,

Maria

Thanks so much for sharing your question with us. Your concern is shared by many of us who help care for loved ones with osteoporosis. Even those with otherwise sound judgment sometimes make poor decisions about getting up at night and put themselves at risk of further fractures. Besides my own experience, I also consulted with my friend Joan, a career caregiver who watched over my grandmother Esther for seven years - during which time she had to implement increasing levels of safety measures to prevent my grandmother from falling.

The first question to consider is the surrounding area when your mother gets up at night. Ideally, there should be some light - perhaps a nightlight or an overhead light on in the bathroom or kitchen, depending where she's headed. The floors should be clear of shoes, furniture and other tripping hazards. Make sure her eyeglass prescription is up-to-date, and examine the footwear she uses - stocking feet are easy to slide in and slippers are called that for a reason.

Better yet, you may want to encourage your mother not to get up during the night unnecessarily. Perhaps she could keep a glass of water by her bedside (if that's what she's after) or, if she heads for the toilet, a bedside commode could be the answer. (My grandmother had one for several years, and it helped defray many extra steps to the bathroom.) Another option would be to keep a wheelchair (wheels in the locked position!) or a walker next to the bed that she could use for additional support if she does need to get up.

You didn't mention whether your mother is aware of her night wanderings, but if she isn't, a clip-on alarm that goes off when she gets up would be helpful. My grandmother Lila wears one, and while it doesn't come into use often, it will draw someone's attention (in your case your father's) if she gets up in a sleepy or confused state (and fails to take it off).

Here are some links with other tips that might be helpful:

http://www.niams.nih.gov/bone/hi/prevent_falls.htm

http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/falls.htm

Good luck with this. Hopefully implementing some of these ideas can help your parents continue to enjoy their assisted living lifestyle without incurring the risks of nighttimes alone.