There are nights you will never forget. For my family, that was the night dad fell off the bed.
Dad fell off the bed about 2:30 am. I got up to a thud then heard dad yell for me. When I went into his room, he was laying by the bed in pain, looking very confused and ashamed. Fortunately, he had not broken anything. However, the fear in his eyes remained with me for a long time after we helped him back onto the bed.
That night opened our eyes to new ways of providing home care.
When “getting by” no longer works
For many months before this incident, dad struggled with mobility after having surgery. We initially believed that if we used additional pillows, blankets and a side rail on his bed that we could provide dad with a safe and comfortable place to sleep. Many families try to use what they currently have as well.
However, the fact is, standard beds are not designed for individuals with loss of strength, loss of balance, or recovering from illness/medical conditions.
Upon reflection, we had noticed signs earlier that indicated dad needed additional support:
- Difficulty moving in and out of bed
- Slipping towards the side of the bed while sleeping
- Difficulty sitting up without assistance
- Increased confusion at night
- Frequent requests for assistance during the night
We chose to ignore these signs because we thought we could handle them. Unfortunately, that fall showed us otherwise.
Emotional aspects nobody talks about
The biggest surprise was not just the physical risk, but the emotional implications.
Dad continued to apologize. He felt guilty for disturbing all of us. He was embarrassed to need help. Honestly, we were all emotionally drained. The demands of being caregivers are extremely taxing on a person’s body; however, the emotional toll is even worse.
By the next morning, we knew we had to make a decision quickly.
What We Did That Next Morning
First thing we did was call a local company that rents medical equipment. As Dad was also having trouble getting up from his recliner throughout the day, we started looking into renting a lift chair near me.
Almost instantly, using a lift chair provided a positive change in his ability to rise from sitting to standing without putting excessive strain on his legs and/or solely depending on us for assistance. Additionally, he regained a bit of independence with the aid of the lift chair, which improved his self-confidence more than we could have anticipated.
While we were exploring alternative sleeping options, we simultaneously researched safer alternatives.
Why We Purchased A Hospital Bed From An Internet Company
Initially, I thought hospital beds were only available in hospitals and/or long term medical institutions. I was mistaken.
Home hospital beds are now manufactured for home use and include many comforts and conveniences for patients and caregivers alike. Upon researching different types of hospital beds and reviewing comments from other customers, we ultimately decided to purchase a hospital bed online instead of continuing to put dad at risk of another fall.
Features such as adjustable heights and positions greatly enhanced his ability to transfer in/out of bed safely without requiring awkward lifting; improve sleep positionings by elevating his legs and upper body reducing discomfort and restless sleep at night; added safety features included side rails and adjustable settings which prevented rolling/slipping during sleep; and reduced caregiver fatigue-my back appreciated the change almost immediately.
Additional Smaller Changes That Also Helped
In addition to purchasing necessary equipment to address dad’s mobility issues, we made several minor changes to create a safer sleep environment:
- Installed motion sensor nightlights
- Removed clutter from areas close to where dad sleeps
- Added non slip flooring
- Made items such as water and medication easily accessible
- Used a bed alarm to enhance nighttime vigilance
All of these small changes contributed to making the environment surrounding dad’s sleep area safer for all of us.
The Most Important Lesson We Have Learned
The most difficult aspect of caregiving is often realizing when to seek help.
Because we thought requesting medical equipment signified defeat, we delayed seeking it for far too long. In actuality, acquiring the appropriate equipment allowed dad to regain more autonomy, more dignity, and significantly increased safety.
Accidents can occur rapidly. Recoveries may require months.
Don’t dismiss the warning signals if your loved one is experiencing difficulties with mobility/balance/entering/exiting bed. Sometimes simply altering a few things-a quick search for a lift chair rental near me or purchasing a hospital bed online-can result in a significant improvement in their quality of life.
Closing Thoughts
Sometimes I think about that night. Not so much because dad fell off of the bed-but because it finally prompted us to initiate changes we should have initiated weeks/months prior. Our lives as caregivers were less stressful; dad slept better; and our home once again seemed like a safe haven.
As stated previously-we never feel totally prepared for moments such as these. However, taking proactive steps early-on can eliminate future fears/injuries/exhaustion.
Honestly-I wished we had taken action sooner.