I have a 63 year old sister who needs overnight care. She is wheelchair bound and diabetic. She speaks only English. She has recently suffered a broken left femur and is recovering nicely. However, she has repeatedly managed to wiggly her way off of her bed very early in the morning and I have waked up to find her on the floor. That has happened 3 times now.
She needs someone who can stay awake watching over her from about 10:00pm until 8:00am. As it is, I am pulling 24 hour duty and can not continue without ending up in the hospital myself. I can not nurse her all day AND stay up all night.
Feelings of desperation are setting in.
If you can move an 88 pound person from bed to wheelchair and wheelchair to potty, please call me or email me, asap. References required.
Alto Boquete
6773-9704 or ca.keihl@gmail.com
Replies
I'm not sure what you're requesting, Cynthia. Do you need recommendations for a carpenter? Or for where to purchase the necessary wood?
I have a list of possible care givers.
Ana Julia 720-2610 (speaks English)
Izenith Acosta (English?) works nights: 6506-7649
Leyda Archbold LVN in California for 12 years: 6931-4098 Leyda_archbold@yahoo.com Speaks English
Suzanne Miller 6716-5473 or 6386-2408 lyra201277@gmail.com. Speaks English
I don't know any of these people. I have just been saving names as they appear on ning or elsewhere.
Good luck with one of these. I know how desperate it can get.
Some sedatives and anesthesia used during surgery can cause delirium and hallucinations in elderly people, but they don't seem to know that here. They often use Benzodiazapine, which is the worst offender. It can have a bad effect on the elderly. The mental effects are usually temporary, but there can be permanent cognitive damage.
You're very welcome. My mother always said "where there's a will, there's a way." I'm very pleased you found a solution to yours and your sisters.
Put a hand bell beside the bed so she can ring for you if she needs up during the night or early morning. Cheaper and just as effective. Been there, done that.
She keeps falling out of bed or working her way onto the floor. Why is she doing that? Does she have dementia? A bell wouldn't work for such a situation.
I didn't see anything saying she had dementia. It also didn't say she was falling out of bed. I generally have to get up during the night or early morning to go to the bathroom. My guess this is what she was doing too.
Many diabetics have a problem with the nerve endings in their feet and that may be part of the problem along with the broken femur. If she has no other medical conditions then the bell should work just fine. I think it's worth a try. If it doesn't work out then go to the next option and find a overnight caregiver.
It's the repeated ending up on the floor that has me wondering. Why would she keep doing that, if she knew she would end up helpless on the floor? Cindy hasn't responded, so it's just conjecture. I hope she gets whatever works.
I need a hand bell. Do you know where I can find one?