My mother is in the late stages of Alzheimer's. She has recently been switched to a twin-size hospital bed that lowers up and down because she keeps falling/slipping/rolling out of bed at night.
The bed is pushed up against a wall on one side, a fall mat is being utilized, and a mattress cover with foam sides has recently been implemented, but nothing seems to keep her in bed. Not sure how much of this is accidentally slipping out, and how much is her trying to get out. She has always slept in a full or queen-size bed, so a twin bed is new to her.
Mom used to be aggressive, but we have finally gotten her meds right (or as good as they can be, thank heaven), so she is no longer having outbursts at night, but still wakes up often.
Does anyone have any suggestions about what else might work to keep her from falling out of bed? I have been told that bed rails are not allowed in memory care.
We put mattress on the floor next to his bed for soft landing if so . Also, there is a medical equipment prescribed type medical bed that can be lowered to almost ground level so if they fall, they won’t fall very far.
Bed rails have been illegal in care homes in Florida for years. They cause a serious choking hazard and cause deaths for seniors that roll into the bed rail.
The seniors asphyxiate and can't roll back to safety.
In some areas bed rails are still legal but understand they can cause deaths and serious injuries.
Is her falling (getting) out of bed your biggest concern?
You have a fall mat, and foam sides. She is probably trying to climb out over the sides.
My husband was doing that. The method to resolve it was a bed that lowers to just inches above the floor, and a mat next to the bed.
It sounds like you already have that in place.
Do you want to keep her from trying to climb out of the bed? Even with bed rails, believe me, this is possible.
She is not in her right mind, and she is doing what feels right to her. It doesn't sound like she's in any danger, if her bed is lowered and there is a fall mat.
What, exactly, is your concern?
mattress on the floor? Night lights - alarms to indicate if person is getting out of bed - bolster pillow for her to cuddle up to or at the sides
Maybe make an appointment to see the head there to discuss alternative safety measures and speak to her doctor as her anxiety increases at night which must be disturbing for her.
His last few days on earth were in a hospice respite facility. They told us that bed railings were associated with injuries because they can try to climb over them. Instead, they lowered my dad’s air mattress to the floor and put big bolsters on either side and gym mats beyond them. And the whole thing had alarms in case he tried to exit. To get out of bed, the only way would be to crawl and he could not get from crawling to standing on his own, so no more falling. It does make it more difficult to turn, change, and clean the person though because you have to get down nearly to the ground, or raise the bed back up temporarily.
good luck!
I purchased a full body pillow and put next to him near the railing. He never fell out of bed again. It may not be fool or full proof, but it will help immensely.
Or use two, together. Make is very difficult for her to get 'beyond' the pillows (if possible)
If your mother is struggling, trying to get out of bed, ask MD for medication to calm her down ... at nights.
Gena / Touch Matters
this inexpensive and quite easy to install and use rail works wonders for my husband. He was constantly falling out of bed before I purchased this.
The elderly sometimes become extremely restless and filled with anxiety, because they may realize their health is getting worse and their lives are ending very soon.
Best of luck to your family.
Im linking you to a bolster on Amazon that's similar to the one hospice used for mom so they can have an idea of what you're talking about:
https://www.amazon.com/Prevention-Bolster-Mattress-Defined-Perimeter/dp/B07X5F5P54/ref=sr_1_7?crid=13YSOEQZMEBHI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4fypNbBpoRoNKH1ajhJwx_TmgGMv7yk6QKORSEnDOpuB5ZjnlNHVhkyR91tHXCJGsAO59Cv2TcMIlYbjThMtmL5tbf0MgQajD8MTTYkaK_g1QFKrFNleZ8CQeaba6IU6scJI5fCqPecjmn965YDDr3IqhI92gepD-1SsioU7axV67kf78H7qA8xSOA5xL2ojyETUPu8CQgVXKtvFEgPdHX-9X187wnuQ7CKTZ9ajC-Y_Vyb_ty2B4KqnSQJ4eMYFuY56qalKnBNXiBxlMYmWXPWO1GHpzYiK3yb_tM8PooyWKEBL7rHCAA2HZZLNvt0bwhLzL6LI4-fYq84RC3RMsiAdOTEL11IGrRH4MVAWZG23bTd55166EtQAboF0j1dogVSHJtkKbwljvT30xte8a8G63JfwAn7ksBKt_wqtQUEmQ3mFhbT0ZcgdCrQVUeR8.IaFjMZo9IUood1Y4RLUkbvdTGTgjDNT2k2WxLVaznI0&dib_tag=se&keywords=Bolster%2Bkeep%2Badult%2Bfrom%2Bfalling%2Bout%2Bof%2Bbed&qid=1739903028&sprefix=bolsterkeep%2Badult%2Bfrom%2Bfalling%2Bout%2Bof%2Bbed%2Caps%2C1021&sr=8-7&th=1
Is this the type you already have on moms bed, OP?
Good luck with a difficult situation.
My guess is she's trying to get out of bed at night. That's how my 100-yr old Aunt with advanced dementia broke her hip, even though we had her bed very barricaded, the caregiver didn't want to put the mattress on the ground for various reasons. Even after my Aunt was in the rehab facility with her broken hip she was still trying to get out of bed or climb out the window. She wasn't very mobile on her own. You can't underestimate what someone with a broken brain will decide to do.
The hospital bed is lowered to its lowest setting every night, but Mom has rolled out of it and been found face-down on the fall mat. She was unhurt (may have never even awakened when she rolled out), but I was told if she didn't have the strength to move her head, she could suffocate. I think she has the strength to turn her head, but who knows?