Guest guest Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 All, One of the women in our support group wrote this: " .just wanted to say that my husband has fallen twice in 2 days.... he wasnt hurt.. just scared...seemed to come out of nowhere..he fell on top of 3 people in a movie theatre lobby.... then tripped the following day on a rug...does this happen withLBD.. is there anything i can do about it? he is having a harder & harder time walking.. getting in & out of bed etc.. we do exercise alot stretching etc " (Her husband is not on Aricept or Sinemet since he doesn't want to take anything.) I didn't have this particular problem with my Mom. Any suggestions other than having him walk with a cane, walker or wheelchair? Thank you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 We had this problem A LOT with Grandma, especially after she broke her hip. Unfortunately if he isn't willing to take any meds (Sinimet might help with the getting out of bed but I don't think it'd do much about the falling) or use a walker or cane there just isn't a lot you can do. We insisted Grandma use a cane but she never did use it correctly (she just carried it and that only when we were watching her like a hawk) and she kept on falling until she broke her other hip. Then we insisted she use a walker but again she only used it when we made her and she still continued to fall at times when she was not under direct supervision. After much debate and general nervousness we talked it over and decided that short of tying her to a chair (or the bed), which we would never do, there just was only so much we could do. We insisted she use the walker when we were around and other than that hoped for the best. Its not a good answer but its all I have. Emma > > All, > > One of the women in our support group wrote this: > > " .just wanted to say that my husband has fallen twice in 2 days.... he > wasnt hurt.. just scared...seemed to come out of nowhere..he fell on top > of 3 people in a movie theatre lobby.... then tripped the following day on > a rug...does this happen withLBD.. is there anything i can do about it? he > is having a harder & harder time walking.. getting in & out of bed etc.. we > do exercise alot stretching etc " > > (Her husband is not on Aricept or Sinemet since he doesn't want to take > anything.) I didn't have this particular problem with my Mom. Any > suggestions other than having him walk with a cane, walker or wheelchair? > > Thank you all. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Norma, When Mom started to trip over rugs, I took up all the area rugs. And it would seem a cane or walker would help. I know it did Mom even when she didn't want to use one. It saved her from falls. Hugs, Donna R Caregave for Mom (after I brought her from WI to MI) for 3 years and 4th year in a nh. She was almost 89 when she died in '02. No dx other than mine. Re: Falling All, One of the women in our support group wrote this: " .just wanted to say that my husband has fallen twice in 2 days.... he wasnt hurt.. just scared...seemed to come out of nowhere..he� fell on top of 3 people in a movie theatre lobby.... then tripped the following day on a rug...does this happen withLBD.. is there anything i can do about it? he is having a harder & harder time walking.. getting in & out of bed etc.. we do exercise alot stretching etc " (Her husband is not on Aricept or Sinemet since he doesn't want to take anything.) I didn't have this particular problem with my Mom. Any suggestions other than having him walk with a cane, walker or wheelchair? Thank you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Norma, there can be different reasons for falling with Lewy. I know if my mother had been in a movie theatre lobby, a strange space with people moving in every direction, she would have become more rigid, possibly even frozen and that could lead to tripping. In a situation like that she could even have fallen with a walker but it might have helped. A rug can present a problem visually as visual spacial perception can become distorted so any change in flooring, even the pattern on a lobby carpet can lead to uncertainty to depth of the floor change, if that makes sense. A rug could look like a huge hole in the floor. A pattern, yikes! Our LOs tend to need flooring that doesn't change. Many have to take up rugs or lay a runner the same as carpeting. It sounds like meds as well as a walking device are probably indicated. Or perhaps with the meds a walking device could wait. The husband with LBD likely doesn't have rational thought and this may be something his wife will need to take control of. , Oakville Ont. Mother, age 92, died Aug. 12/06 after 13 year decline from PDD > > All, > > One of the women in our support group wrote this: > > " .just wanted to say that my husband has fallen twice in 2 days.... he > wasnt hurt.. just scared...seemed to come out of nowhere..he fell on top > of 3 people in a movie theatre lobby.... then tripped the following day on > a rug...does this happen withLBD.. is there anything i can do about it? he > is having a harder & harder time walking.. getting in & out of bed etc.. we > do exercise alot stretching etc " > > (Her husband is not on Aricept or Sinemet since he doesn't want to take > anything.) I didn't have this particular problem with my Mom. Any > suggestions other than having him walk with a cane, walker or wheelchair? > > Thank you all. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Hi Norma, Falling is part of LBD, because the patient has Parkinsonism along with it. I am sorry this is happening. How to remedy it, I don't know. My darling man is just showing signs of falling. He is most wobbly. This morning he sat on the floor looking in the bottom of a closet, and couldn't get up. He asked me to help him, and stuck out his arm. I grabbed the back of his pants and told him, " Now let's go up! " Later I realized that he knew what I meant. Many times he doesn't know up and down, in and out, etc. I have a nice walker with a seat and a basket, and have tried to encourage him to use it, but he won't. The thing that is hard for him is when he rises. He has to stand a minute before walking, or he will fall. We need some type of rails that he can grab when he stands. Love a bunch, Imogene > > All, > > One of the women in our support group wrote this: > > " .just wanted to say that my husband has fallen twice in 2 days.... he > wasnt hurt.. just scared...seemed to come out of nowhere..he fell on top > of 3 people in a movie theatre lobby.... then tripped the following day on > a rug...does this happen withLBD.. is there anything i can do about it? he > is having a harder & harder time walking.. getting in & out of bed etc.. we > do exercise alot stretching etc " > > (Her husband is not on Aricept or Sinemet since he doesn't want to take > anything.) I didn't have this particular problem with my Mom. Any > suggestions other than having him walk with a cane, walker or wheelchair? > > Thank you all. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 <snip> We insisted Grandma use a cane but she never did use it correctly (she just carried it and that only when we were watching her like a hawk) and she kept on falling until she broke her other hip. <snip> My mom too... She just carried her cane and went around pointing with it... LOL She had to be on a really good day to be able to use it correctly and even then she had to focus real hard in order to do it... It's not something she was used to using - and I can imagine that a LO w/ Lewy trying to actually learn something new - when she was forgetting things that were automatic (like putting on deoderant correctly - she was putting it on between her breasts or behind her ears like perfume) is near impossible for them... Sorry, besides having someone constantly next to them to guide them I have no useful advice on the falling. I do agree with making sure obstacles are out of the way, area rugs are up, well lit homes, and wearing the best shoes... Lin, thanks for the info regarding padded undergarmets - gonna find and add that to the links section! Sharon, thanks for the reminder about LOs taking their time when going from a sitting position to standing - my mom too had to do this slowly b/c her BP would bottom out upon standing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Lin - of course when I went to search for hip protector undergarments I found a study that says that they're not useful... I listed below, but I'd say wearing those undergarments doesn't hurt (no pun intended.) I found a few sites that sell them - although quite pricey: http://www.hiprotector.com/hippad.html http://www.mtsmedicalsupply.com/pages/hipprotectors.cfm?vp=1 http://www.alzstore.com/alzheimers/safehip.htm http://tinyurl.com/yvm2v4 Here's the study saying they're not useful: Efficacy of a Hip Protector to Prevent Hip Fracture in Nursing Home Residents July 25, 2007 Conclusions In this clinical trial of an energy-absorbing/shunting hip protector conducted in US nursing homes, we were unable to detect a protective effect on the risk of hip fracture, despite good adherence to protocol. These results add to the increasing body of evidence that hip protectors, as currently designed, are not effective for preventing hip fracture among nursing home residents. Source: http://tinyurl.com/24lycj > > Hi Everyone! > At the care center where I work, we provide heavily-padded-at the hips undergarments for men and ladies. They are excellent for protecting the hips of those prone to falls - are put on over underwear and can be hand-washed from time to time as needed. They come in different sizes, and our docs, nurses and physical therapists love them. So do families and residents - they have prevented many fractures. They aren't really obvious under clothing, and provide another bit of peace-of-mind for those who are still ambulatory but for various reasons tipsy. They are available through medical and therapeutic supply catalogs for about $70. If prescribed, some insurance carriers cover them. When families are willing, we also provide wrist, elbow, knee and ankle pads for the elders. The parlor sometimes looks like we're hosting a group of aged skaters, but they sure save pain, grief and expense. > > Hope this is helpful. > Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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