Falls, Falls, Falls

[CanAmK]

Lots of new falls and they are hard falls with luckily no injury. I am interested from both caregivers and those with MSA: how was the transition to a mobility device for you all? My husband is falling because he refuses to use a walker and he is unsafe with a cane so he furniture walks and typically a piece of furniture flips and he comes crashing down. He relies so heavily on me but in an unsafe way. I am very concerned that either he, I, or both will get injured before he will accept the walker. Of not he is not safe with a standard walker so he would be using and UpWalker.

[FredaE]

Try to get him to look at it differently. You cannot beat MSA but you can make it fight for control of your life. Walkers and wheelchairs are your weapons in this fight and should be welcomed. They are not a sign of defeat.They are a sign of spirit and determination

My husband once explained to me that you judge the merits of a General in the army ,not by his advances but by the quality of his retreat and how much damage he inflicts on the enemy while not suffering too many casualties. Seems appropriate to me.Apart from the fact that if you are put out of action by a joint fall then the MSA has won a big victory by destroying your life together.

[Derkie54]

Hello,

We had the same issues with my wife she used to furniture walk and fall a lot.

Occ health bought us a walker but L wasn't very stable with it so we returned it.

Resorted to walking with my support but eventually that didn't work either.

We now use a wheelchair inside (from room to room) and outside as L cannot support her own weight. If you're not trying to walk you can't fall but it makes it harder for the carer,

Not tried the Upwalker I'm afraid so we can't comment on that.

Due to L's lack of mobility we now have a commode next to the sofa and another next to the bed.

Like you I was worried about injury and for us it seemed the best solution.

Derek

[Yanno]

I very much agree with Freda, about fighting this dreaded condition and using a Walker or wheelchair as a positive thing.

Jackie lost her balance very early on and had no choice but use a Rollator and then a wheelchair. This has been a good as well as bad thing as she just didn’t get the falls that so often inflict real damage and cause a marked worsening in MSA.

Also we’ve always said it’s better to be pushed for a mile and then walk for 20metres rather than just walk the 20metres. We travelled extensively after diagnosis and none of that would have been possible without the rollator and wheelchair.

[CanAmK]

Thank you all for your response. That is what I tell him too- that we can do anything he wants to do if we can make it there. He qualifies for a power chair currently but I would be happy if he would just try the walker. It is coming out of storage and is going to be in his sight. Maybe he will try it.

[Hellebelle]

Some really good advice from everyone. I agree that it's always good to try to turn it around so that you have beaten MSA rather than the other way around.

It is such a hard transition to have a mobility aid but it will enable your husband to carry on with normal life as much as possible, but in a much safer way, without the injuries.

My dad was only persuaded after a very nasty fall when he took my mum down with him in the bathroom. He hit his head on a cabinet and had a superficial wound and mum had very extensive bruising. Miraculously, neither of them broke any bones.

I wish you luck in persuading him. We found that dad used to listen to the GPs advice. I just wondered if there is someone whom he would listen to if he isn't responding to the advice you are giving? We became pragmatic and ceased taking it personally as the condition could make him quite unreasonable.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

[Annietutt]

Hello. I sympathise as my husband, Tony, was exactly the same. Eventually his physiotherapist convinced him that he needed different support at different times and on different days. She told him that he might need a rollator or a chair or a scooter for different occasions. We bought a rollator that transforms to a wheelchair so that he could walk independently, but if he got tired someone could push him. This meant we could continue to go on holiday and trips out. Using an aid at home was the last thing he accepted, but finally he started using a walking frame after realising that if he broke a leg or a hip he would probably never walk again. He does still have occasional falls when his legs just give way and now only walks indoors but he is hanging onto that last bit of mobility. We are considering an up walker to see if that helps. It is so hard to see someone struggle when you know life could be safer/easier/ more enjoyable if they accepted using an aid. As others have said, try to make him realise that he will be able to do much more for longer if he accepts he needs help. You both need to continue to do as much as you can while you can - the day may come when he is no longer able to do things and has regrets.

[Hidden]

Your husband sounds like a clone of my Dad! He only decided to use a walker after he had one fall too many and he couldn't do it anymore. He adapted quite well but was still very stubborn about having help. It was his way and I simply had to respect that. So I guess my thoughts are to just be there. Sending best wishes.

[Hidden]

Hello, It sounds like he's objecting to a walker because of something it symbolises. I wonder if it would help to find out if he can articulate a specific fear. I don't know what goes on in the MSA brain sometimes, but I think that urgency to change is sometimes resisted, whereas clear practical reasoning through different options and their consequences can sometimes just get through. (Especially if one of those could be hospital admission after a fall). My dad found walkers too difficult, because the technique of using them required spatial awareness and coordination that he was losing. Indoor manual wheelchairs were next and he was ok with them.Kx

[CanAmK in reply to Hidden]

That is exactly the issue. He doesn't want to present as disabled. He initially was very unsafe with a walker and I feel as though he is holding onto that assessment from the PT but with the Upwalker he can see past the walker and hold himself more firmly on it so it doesn't sway so much. I did place it in the kitchen yesterday and he was unpleased but hopefully he will use it. Thanks for the response.

[TK-67]

Mum falls a lot too - our challenge is her mobility is very unpredictable. Although deteriorating, she can at times manage to get up and walk with her frame, however then her legs or balance will just go. So her brain thinks she can walk, she then tries and falls when things aren't so good. She's looked after in a nursing home and they've been amazing but it is so difficult. MSA is a cruel disease. She also has to deal with a lot of confusion so that doesn't help either! Luckily she seems to know how to fall now and so other than bruises we've been lucky. However 18 months ago when her deterioration was very marked she did fall badly and broke a hip. Sadly there is no easy solution.

[Floosie5uk]

It’s so difficult isn’t it! A bit of a moving target day by day I find. My husband was also reluctant but having spent 3 weeks in hospital being diagnosed he didn’t want to go back so I ashamedly used that saying he’d be back there if he really hurt himself. He’s now accepted the indoor and outdoor frames but falls still happen albeit less often. Problem now is to get him to accept his limitations and try to safeguard himself in case he falls but he’s stubborn and puts himself at risk if I take my eye off him. Hardest thing for me is not to get cross with him when he does this. He thinks it’s a laugh, so at least he has a good attitude to it. Good luck with your persuading, I love everyone else’s ideas, I’ll use their ideas too!Sue