My DH is in late stage 6 and for the past couple of weeks, he tries to sit where there is no chair or misjudges where the seat is. Night before last, I was turning the bed back and told him to sit on the bench at the foot of the bed so I could take his shoes off. He missed the seat, fell and hit his head on the dresser. I had to call 911 for Rural Metro to help me get him up and check him out. Every time I take him to the bathroom, he tries to sit beside the commode. Same thing in the living room, he tries to sit before he gets to the chair. Does anyone else have this problem and is it his vision or a balance issue?
Yes, my DH does the same thing. I think it's just the neurological deterioration--he doesn't have the awareness of where his body is. He is a Hospice client now, so he is in the end stages.
I agree his perception is off. the only thing you can do at this point is be there to actively guide him to sit where need be. at least it may help avoid falls. divvi
I agree with Elizabeth & divvi-neurological and perception is gone. Unfortunately now you have to actively guide him to sit safely or if he's still able to understand gestures with language, pat the chair to signal that's where he needs to sit and say "sit down here". We're just entering this stage now.
I understand Teepa Snow has some helpful videos on You Tube for situations like this. Of course, they're abbreviated because they want to sell the dvd with all the hints.
Dazed, in the last six months or year of my DW's life I found it necessary to actually resort to blocking her with my leg and hip anytime we made the transfer from her wheelchair to the potty or to her recliner or whatever -- otherwise she would have sat down too soon. She would complain about my pushing her, but it was something that had to be done. You just have to position yourself so she can't mis-sit.
Yes, my DH could not judge where or when to sit all last summer. The bathroom was the worst, as he was already having a BM before I could line him up with the seat. I also used my leg to push him over. He fell constantly trying to transfer from wheelchair to recliner, bed and everywhere else.
I did learn how to get him up by putting a dining room chair in front him and helping him to pull himself up. It didn't work in the evening though, because he was too tired or confused.
Thing actually got easier when I couldn't get him out of bed at all and Hospice brought in the hospital bed. If he were in a facility they would probably gotten him up a lot longer because they would have 2 people to do it.