Frequently Asked Questions #4

Question

My loved one has Alzheimer’s Disease and has lost all equilibrium but I cannot keep her sitting down during the day. At night, she falls trying to get out of bed. How can I handle this dangerous behavior without being with her in the same room 24/7?

Answer

Because self-compelled pacing and wandering is a common trait among dementia patients, when they get to the point that their equilibrium begins to diminish, they still have the compulsion. They don’t realize that they will fall if they get up and there is nothing you can say to them that they can file away in their memory to make them understand the necessity to stay down. However, there are a few tips for safety’s sake that might put your mind at ease. My methods might sound unconventional, but they have worked for many of the residents I have cared for in the past. Try these and see if any of them work for you.

1) Replace your traditional chairs for large beanbag chairs. They are much more difficult to get out of than a chair or sofa. Make sure that you place them out of reach of anything they could hold onto to aid them in their attempt to get up.

2) Put their mattress on the floor. This way, they don’t have far to fall!

3) Ask your doctor to order a geri–chair. This is a chair with a built–in tray that crosses their lap. They can eat on it and be kept sitting down when you cannot be in the same room with them, thereby helping them to avoid falling. Be sure that you get them up to move around or change postures frequently or they may develop sores and then you will have another problem to deal with.