Sometimes I just Don't Cope

by Caregiver

My mom has fallen 3 times 2 days ago and twice today, face down...why...she does not have her walker near her. She doesn't walk so her leg muscles have atrophied and she falls. I can talk a blue streak about leg exercises but she does nothing.

Then I am screaming because she does this to herself, there is no clutter, just not using the walker and so she falls.

Showering she can't do by herself, I have a chair in the bathtub, a metal rail, and yet she stands to take off her pajamas and loses her balance...so I am screaming again because I say every day sit down and take them off, but she never does.

I am at my wits end.

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*please* give this a try, it's what I do
by: Anonymous

I urge you to do this, speaking from experience, as recent as this morning.

1) Get a hospital gown - if you don't want to go out to buy, order one on the internet (ebay, amazon, etc) - a cover front, bare back type, as most if not all hospital gowns are

2) have her wear it into the shower

3)have her sit down (while you steady her), and take it off and hand it to you before you turn on the water

4) when done, turn off the water, hand her a towel

5 ) when she's done with the towel, hold up the gown, so that she can put her arms through *before* she stands up

6) have her hold your hand, before she gets up

Hospital gowns are *made exactly for this*. (she can take it off, AND put it back on, while *sitting down*) I am not a professional, do this at your own risk - but, I have 'road tested' this for over 6 months, including this morning, without incident (your mileage may vary)

I have a chair in the shower as well - I am a male, who has protected my mom's modesty and safety with the above

good luck - hope this takes at least a tiny bit of stress out of your life, my heart goes out to anyone going though this - believe me, I get how hard this is

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