my day at the hospital

[deereboy72]

well its not about me getting hurt or anything but my grandma i was getting rid of yard debris and my mom and my grandma were at my aunts house they had just gone shopping as my grandma was getting out of the car my mom had my grandmas computer my brother was trying to fix it but couldn't so my grandma was walking and dropped something so she went down to pick it up after she picked it up she walked a few steps and lost her footing (she's 69 years old) she fell and broke her hip and she hit her head on the garage door and split her head open so i spent my day at the hospital taking care of her im going back tomorrow and Monday to make sure she is ok so Ive thought today alot about what things i could do to make to make sure her house is more safe.

 

[ultrarunner]

It's a tough situation... good she has you to help.

Sturdy grab bars in the bathroom

Maybe a railing in hallway?

Remove any tripping hazards like throw rugs

Make sure she has sturdy railings everywhere there are steps.

She will need room for a walker... at least in the beginning.

 

[deereboy72]

thanks for the tips ill probably do some of those

 

[tallyho8]

Brandon, I think you deserve an award for the longest sentence ever written on TBN.

 

[Tig]

Tally, I was also wondering about the punctuation. Then I realized that if Brandon were telling the story, it would probably come out in one breath, therefor no commas or periods.
Thoughts and prayers are with your Grandma Brendon

 

[2manyrocks]

Definite future ahead writing political speeches.

Seriously, hope your Grandma fully recovers.

 

[texasjohn]

ramps everywhere needed.....

non skid surface in bath tub

pill dispenser...days of week and 4 times of day kind.... set up pills for entire week at a time... you can quickly observe if she is taking them... and makes it easy for caregivers to pour out the pills for the day and time and give them to her...can avoid lack of proper medication or double dosing... seems simple to take pills, but with numerous caregivers and sometimes confused times and days and changing medications, and confused patient... best to seek a fail proof system (none actually exists, but you can go for best practices)

raised height potty seat

MULTIPLE grab bars in bathroom and bathtub..placed for HER height, etc... determine placement by having her approach bathroom, get into tub/shower. Notice where she naturally wishes to place her hands... of course, you will be assisting her for this trial run.

Use masonry bit for drilling holes into tile... a hammer drill (think Harbor Freight tools) is ideal for this... silicone caulk the holes/screws in wet areas.

non skid surface when getting out of tub/shower

shower seat for tub...

Long hose from shower that is hand held so she can direct water herself

place to set supplies within reach... shampoo, soap, etc...

bedside table for all kinds of stuff.

At Radio Shack, and other places, there are automatic phone dialers that are actuated by a remote locket that she can hang around neck on a necklace/string. By pressing a button, it signals the dialer to dial up to 4 different numbers with a recorded message..."this is your grandma... I need help".... no monthly charges for somebody to call 911 for you.... typically, with all us us carrying cell phones now, you will have 4 different people who can be on standby... first person answering call breaks the call chain by indicating they have heard the message and will respond...

My folks were far sighted, realizing that their physical prowess was waning, suggested we get a ramp van about 15 years before my mother passed away..at 92...dad is still going at 96. GREAT THING TO DO.... makes vehicle entry and exit soooooo easy... for walkers and/or wheelchairs... saves your back Yes, pricey, buy van, then spend $15k to get it converted...paid for by NOT having to strain all the time when going out. What else are you going to do with the $$ but make life a little simpler for everybody concerned with the welfare of aging relatives. As you can see, I'm sold on a ramp van... if you need more info, PM me.

wireless phone, perhaps several, so she can have it beside her in bed, in the easy chair, carry around... put key numbers on speed dial...

Medicare will pay for wheel chair if long term mobility difficulty is anticipated... worth getting as soon as qualified.....in case of inability to use walker, then transport to doctor/hospital becomes possible without 911 call....as long as you have ramp van.... for those times when person is weak, putting them into wheel chair in the house where you have room to lift and navigate, rolling up to ramp van, into ramp van, drive to location, down ramp van and right into medical facility, right into office....NOTHING BETTER for the caregiver.

Been there, doing that... recovery from broken hip, long rehabilitation period. Keep her in hospital/rehab facility as long as possible... home rehab is much less time with patient, less effective, etc...

Best wishes for you and grandma and all the caregivers. Also, good time to get various affairs in order... wills, non-resuscitate...estate planning/transfer...never pleasant to do, but better now than later..

 

[tugboat-2]

Brandon,.....everything I was going to suggest has been covered nicely,...so I will simply say it is so good to see a young fella with your kind and thoughtful attitude,...Congratulations and good luck to you and gramma!

God Bless !!
. . tug

 

[Transit]

Sounds like a case of Osteoporosis, low bone density, very common in senior women. The way it works is, she did not fall and break her hip.
When she bent over to pick something off the ground, she stressed the hip joint and a step later the hip joint broke. There are reports of a snapping sound before the fall. It could have happened at anytime. Luckily someone was around.

 

[Pops15]

Good suggestions so far. I will add that grab bars NEED to be fastened to the studs. Its not safe to use anchors. One grab bar should be mounted vertically above the end of the tub, at the edge of the tub. This bar is used for entering and exiting the tub/shower. A long grab bar should be mounted horizontally along the back of the tub. Measure the height of her hand when she's standing with her arms to her sides. She'll have more support if her arm is straight than if her elbow is bent. Grab bars come in different diameters. Find some that she can grasp easily. Some folks like horizontal grab bars at the ends of the tub/shower as well.
Grab bars are useful above the back of the toilet and beside the toilet. Some prefer the ones on the side to be inclined.
Remember its very important that the screws go into the studs!!!!
Hips are strained when leaning forward so do not put a grab bar on the wall opposite of the toilet.

There are home health care stores that sell built up toilet seats, portable bath/shower seats. The doctor can write a script for these and medicare will reimburse her for them. While at the home health care store be sure to buy at least one long handled grasper. They are great for avoiding bending over to pick things up, getting things off high shelves, etc. They even teach hip surgery patients how to use the graspers for putting on socks and pants.

Get rid of anything she can trip over. What you can't get rid of make sure she can see. Older folks need more light. Use higher wattage bulbs but don't go higher than the fixtures are spec'd for.

Home therapy isn't a bad thing. The success of any therapy depends greatly on the patient doing their exercises. Your G-ma is young enough that she should have a successful recovery if she works at it.

She'll be using a walker for awhile. Make a removable tray for it so she can use it for a tray table. Get a cloth nail apron and tie it to the front of the walker. It will come in handy for medication, tissues, TV remote, etc.