My husband has recently started falling out of bed, needing help getting into bed and covering up. He can't get up and down from a sitting position very well and walks very, very slow. We have had several falls walking lately and I can't get him up alone when he is on the floor. My question is....would this be one of the final stages of alzheimers? His voice also goes in and out...he sometimes trys to talk but it comes out as a whisper. I have an appointment with his doctor in a few days but I would like to hear from people who have had their spouse go throught this.
Sandra, I suggest you find something to block his side of the bed, or get a hospital rail that slides under the mattress. As far as getting into bed, I have been having to "help" my husband lie down and pick up his feet and place them under the covers and tuck him in for over a year now. I also have to walk in front of him and hold both forearms and walk backwards to take him from the bed to the recliner, to the bathroom and to the bed. This has been going on for over a year as well. Now, I have to place his arm around my shoulder in order to take about half of his weight to help him shuffle to the bed, chair, bathroom.
I have finally given up and gotten a hospital bed from Hospice with a gel mattress so that he won't get bedsores, and placed his recliner right beside it. Now I can change and dress him, help him stand up, take two steps and sit down......And I'm not tired any more.
If my husband should be on the floor, I will have to call the fire department to lift him back up. My next door neighbor who is in his late 20s has offered to do so, so I might call him first. (It has been suggested that you go to the closest fire department and let them know what is happening so that they will know and be prepared for your call and not try to take him to the hospital, just put him back in bed.)
Yes, these are what happens in Stage 7. As I said, my husband has been there for over a year, and is getting weaker all the time. He's lost 50 pounds in 6 1/2 months - muscle is what he's lost. He is still eating the same as always.
Another thing. His hands are atrophying. I have his battery powered toothbrush in one hand and some other small item in another and this has kept his muscles active so that the fingers can still move.
He can chew and swallow, and suck liquid through a straw.
When Charlie was still at home and falling a lot, I wasn't very good at walking backward like Mary. Charlie walked behind me with his hands on my shoulders and I led him to the bedroom, kitchen or whatever. Eventually we had to do the half carry him thing too but that didn't work very long, he was too tall and too heavy. A rail for the bed was helpful in keeping him from falling out.
My husband was falling a lot. His fall were due to 'picking up things that weren't there' and losing his balance and some falls were due to low blood pressure. Have his doctor check it out.
My husband was also under hospice care for 6 months and he improved under their care. One of the things they educated the ALF about was to let him sleep on the floor if he wanted to and not try to put him somewhere where he didn't want to be. I know this is a different situation but is it an option to have him sleep on the floor or on a blow up mattress on the floor?
with my sister we used the walker. She has a nice walker with big wheels, brakes and most important a seat. She would use the belt to get him up, pivot around to sit on the walker then push him around. He would sit on the walker at the counter and eat, and he also would walk some with it but when tired we would turn him around to sit. It is easier to maneuver around the house than a wheelchair including getting them into a bathroom.