My oh has recently had a number of falls about 7 in 3 weeks, sometimes in the past I have had to call the paramedics but often I just deal with it myself, I was wondering what others do and whether I am doing myself a disservice in that he could be more hurt then I suspect I often feel I am being a nuisance if I call them just to pick him up off the floor as they are busy I would be interested to know what do others do and think on this topic.
Many thanks
The falling is very frightening, especially when it first starts. Of course injuries happen, my husband broke his wrist, pelvic bone and elbow, plus had to be glued together on numerous occasions. Like everything else, you will start to get hardened to the fact and sixth sense comes in to place as to if there has been an injury. If your loved one is still able, I use to practice with Steve, getting up from the floor. I found it invaluable. It gave Steve the confidence to trust me and I could regularly assess his movements and change the way we got him off the floor as things weakened. Plus it was a great exercise for him.
Sending big hug and much love
Lots of love
Anne
thanks definitely in need of a hug today.
Spare your back. Call them. They are younger.
The problem is how long you might have to wait for them to arrive. At least if you are there you can try to make him comfortable but waiting for paramedics can feel like an age. There are devices that you can get to assist with safe lifting - but they cost money.
yes ive seen the paramedics use them when he has fallen in the garden they are definitely magic but they are costly to purchase
I had to call out the Paramedics many times, particularly when there were blood injuries. Chris broke a couple of ribs but the worst fall was last August when he landed up in hospital for 3 nights. The NHS supplied me with a Manger ELK inflatable cushion to use to get him up. It was invaluable and saved many more calls to the paramedics. He was a 6 footer and I'm 5.1! The ELK is easy to use, as long as you've sufficient space.
The main problem is persuading the patient that they can not do what they still think they can do!
So keep on keeping on, you're doing wonderfully.
Anne
Afraid the falls become a part of life. We got quite blase about them. If Mum wasn't bleeding profusely, hadn't hit her head & wasn't complaining of anything hurting, used pick her up ourselves. Whilst she was still able this meant getting a chair by her which between her & I she could lever herself up onto her knees and then stand to sit on the chair & recover for a bit. When she was less able used to have take my husband with me to help lift her up.
If you can safely lift the person & they seem ok, I would try & manage without paramedics for 2 reasons 1) you can wait hours for them to come & the person gets more uncomfortable & cold being on the floor. 2) You only want to go to hospital if you absolutely need to, it's so tiring for you & the other half and can be quite scary for them, plus the Drs will never have come across PSP before & start getting concerned about things that are just part of the condition that you are dealing with as part of daily life and want to do tests that get you nowhere.
That said, you must be very careful lifting a person not to do yourself an injury, because if you put yourself out of action who will look after you OH?
I'd definitely investigate the cushion Anne mentions, that would have been so useful.
very good advice, I know what you mean about drs and not understanding the condition, my experience was of it being heavily implied by a nurse in a&e that the bruises on his back were due to something else I presume I was being accused of abusing him, despite the fact he had had several falls over a period of weeks which I had just told them about. You can imagine how i felt.
That is awful, I can't imagine how you must have felt.
Falls 
Falls
Falls 
Head protection for falls? 
