My gran keeps falling in her nursing home because she forgets her walker. What can be done?

I really have no answer for you, but a little funny story. My MIL will hold on to furniture, wall, people - whatever she can just to keep from using her walker. Why? Because walkers are for old people!! She's 93.

Good luck!

Your profile doesn't say if your grandma has dementia but if she doesn't you may think about putting up a sign in her room, maybe on her door, saying something like, "DON'T FORGET YOUR WALKER!!!!!!"

Amelia09, question.... is the walker a rolling walker [4 wheels with hand brakes and seat] or a regular walker? When I do volunteer work at a hospital I notice those who come in with a regular walker are struggling with it... but not those who use a rolling walker [depends if Gran has the hand strength to use the brakes].

My Dad had a regular walker but he always would forget to use it, so down he would go.... once I got him a bright blue rolling walker, you'd think I had purchased him a Shelby Mustang he was so happy with it... likes the basket and the seat. He can shuffle along pretty quickly with that thing.

My Mom didn't want Dad using that walker outside... good heavens, what would the neighbors think.... bet they would think "it's about time".

Wow JudeAH53 - those are all GREAT suggestions! And freqflyer I love the idea of the blue walker - so cool :)

Also, on a more existential level I think we need to think about risk/benefits. Sometimes I think too much emphasis is put on safety and not enough consideration for freedom. People are chemically and physically restrained so they don't fall and hurt themselves, but what kind of a life is that?

Further, one of the root causes is there the staff to resident ratio in care facilities. There simply aren't enough workers to provide the high quality care required to keep everyone safe and happy imho.

Hi all - I love the idea of getting her a walker she loves, that stands out to her (also the sign is a great idea). If you can spare the expense, look for and buy (and/or, decorate as needed) one that tickles her fancy. I am so sorry that she and you all are going through this, it's scary. Good luck, and please let us know what happens.

There is a clear path to follow here Amelia - you must ask to see what plans are in place to stop your mum falling or at least limit the risk of harm. She should be wearing a band that says assistance or is a specific colour which indicates the same. She needs to be managed until she uses a buzzer every time she wants to move because thats when falls occur. if she falls from bed then there are several options often used in combination - firstly a very low bed (about the height of a futon) that way she wont be able to stand without calling for assistance and providing she has a buzzer that is not abuse. Secondly crash mats made of firm memory foam that will keep her safe from harm if she does fall. Possibly safety rails round the bed (although my very frail 92 year old mum climbed over those! dont ask how no one has a clue! Most importantly the nursing home must have a documented plan and you should ask to see that and demand that you all reiew this to ensure it is working. it may be that she waits to long to go to the toilet - atthis point the elderly get very shaky legs so perhaps getting her on to the commode regularly might help. Nothing however replaces vigilance and that has to be in the plan somewhere. Additional ask them to test for infections high proteins low sodium in urine - there may be a medical problem you are unaware of. There should be an OT attached to the nursing home - if so they will have the most current and best advice but whatever you do let the nursing home know you are watching and diarying - every incident should be recorded so ask to see their records re your mum - hope that helps

Nursing homes have bed alarms and chair alarms and are supposed to put the beds down as close to the floor as they will go with two mats on either side of the bed if an elderly person is a fall risk. It sounds like the staff is not doing their job. I would discuss this problem in a staff meeting and if nothing is done, go to the director of the nursing home. Bring a notebook when you go in and see her and write down the dates and time that you visited without these percautions being in use. When you bring the notebook into the staff meeting let them know that you have an Elder Attorney that you have confided in these issues and if it isn't corrected and your loved one suffers an injury that you are prepared to sue them. Keep bringing your notebook every time you go there, because the next thing that they will try to tell you is that your loved one is pulling the alarms off, yet they later discover it in the laundry room at the rehab.

Amelia09, my heart goes out to you. Yes, there is only so much everyone can do in their own capacity. Like the others wrote, signs, reminders, fall mats, bed rails, bed alarms, tying something to the walker that catches her eye like a lovely strand of beads, balloon, something cute that she loves...try everything you can. But some patients simply will not or cannot understand the risks. I'm sure you and others have also tried making sure the walker is RIGHT beside the bed so that she'd have to move it to get up, or have several walkers located by her favorite chair, the bed, etc. I wish there was a sure-proof way.

My mother is in a nursing home and she has fallen 3 times since December I have now come to realize they are giving her her sleeping med land not putting her into bed I'm having an awful time getting them to do this I have to go down every night to make sure she is in bed before they give her the pill I have talked to the administrator the director of nursing the nursing staff and they still don't get it now I realize why my mom have those falls. she was trying to put herself into bed so you might want to ask what they're giving your mother and dogood luckthis a very stressful time for all of us a very stess of us.

When my MIL was in rehab she would try to do the same thing and walk with assistance of a walker or aide. They eventually needed to use a Tattler do she would not get up unattended. Its a device that had a alarm attached and would scream a loud noise until staff turned it
off. It is portable and battery operated, a pad is set under their body and it can move from a chair, to a bed, or wheelchair.
Eventually she understood that she needed help until she was either strong enough to do it herself, or was cleared by her therapist.