How do I keep my mom safe at night if she gets out of bed?
It sounds as if you have done all the right things, so far, to prepare for the possibility of another fall. I would caution you to think hard about installing side railings on her bed. Frequently a memory-impaired adult, not comprehending the rails, will attempt to climb out over them causing more bodily damage than would have occured without the added railings. I believe the best impediment to nightime falls is to put the mattress itself on the floor or to put an additional mattress on the floor beside the bed. This way, if she losses balance upon arising, she has a nice soft landing. Clip an alarm to the mattress to alert you if she attempts to get up. The Alzheimer's Store carries a nice selection of this kind of 'warning system'. I would caution you to think hard about installing side railings on her bed. Frequently a memory-impaired adult, not comprehending the rails, will attempt to climb out over them causing more bodily damage than would have occured without the added railings. I believe the best impediment to nightime falls is to put the mattress itself on the floor or to put an additional mattress on the floor beside the bed. This way, if she losses balance upon arising, she has a nice soft landing. Clip an alarm to the mattress to alert you if she attempts to get up. The Alzheimer's Store carries a nice selection of this kind of 'warning system'.
Our situation is very similar. Having the mattress down low would not work as she has already had knee replacement and hip replacement surgery so she needs to be high enough to be able to stand up. We are looking for solutions to buy us time to get to her when she starts getting up.
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