The 101 of Falls

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EHS in NS actually has oficially a “ pick up service”. This makes sense, because it prevents injury to family members as well as to the patient having fallen. What most people do not know is the risk of developing rhabdomyolysis Rhabdomyolysis - Wikipedia - whichcan happen when people spend an extended time on the floor. The muscles give up a toxin which leads to acute kidney failure and the risk of death.
Frequent fallers will be flagged by the EHS team and the community team including an OT will be going in for an assessment.
I don’t really agree to an OT driving along all the time, in an emergency, nobody can listen to sugestions. It also would be important to have family there for the appointment if someone lives alone, as the family would be the ones to make the changes ( attach grab bars and so on).
I believe EHS also has a special program for palliative patients ( a list), with regards to checking on them and assist with pain control.
 
These elements of the story are interesting
a) it is in a populated area -- so you can afford to have specific teams for certain calls
b) they are called out specifically to falls
c) the OT can assess there
d) when not out on calls, they do a return visit for frequent flyers.

An OT would be trained in lifting.
Some of the people will require a trip to hospital; however, not all.

I think it is interesting.
In Waterloo region, they setup a team that goes to "frequent flyers" as well.: "community paramedics".
Waterloo Region rolling out community paramedicine program

There is also some in Alberta, I see when googling the term.
 
@ChemGal -- I think you will find this interesting from the post "According to Van Valkenburg's report to regional council, paramedic services data indicates that seven per cent of all patients generated 23 per cent of total annual calls, and were more likely to have less-urgent problems."

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When my Mom fell, my Dad helped her to get up - she was in terrible pain, and moved her to the easy chair. She sat in that chair for many hours. In the morning, when she was still in terrible pain and could not be moved by Dad, they called 911. She had broken her hip. She died two days later.
Note; calling 911 is unlikely to have changed the outcome. It would have meant she would have not have suffered as she did in the hours in tht chair. My mom hated going to the hospital -- avoided it at all costs. I know who would have insisted on not calling.
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a senior that i know well was in the frequent flyer for 911 and emergency room visits. He would get anxious , and take nitro. He would then pass out, fall. People would call 911. Paramedics would come. They got to know him, and didn't take him in. One lectured him on usage of his nitro.
At the hospital, they would not release him until family came and they shared the same message with him. Didn't matter. He would go back. Being in a nursing home was good, as the nurse would do things to make him feel he was listened to and he wouldn't call 911 as often.

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Shared as different people have different responses to calling 911. Some call almost daily due to anxiety. Others never call even when dying.
 
I wonder if they could figure out something for LTC or even retirement homes, which would stop urine pooling around toilets.

A few of my father's falls have occurred when he missed the toilet, and slipped on urine.
The floors are marble ? for easy cleaning but it means they get quite slippy when wet.
 
In my father's retirement home, staff make many calls to 911. EMT's come and assess whether or not a trip to hospital is warranted. Then Emergency assesses whether or not hospital admission is needed. This makes perfect sense to me but many of the residents think that unnecessary calls are being made. Consequently, some of them try to hide certain incidents from the staff.
 
Is an OT likely to show up at 3 in the morning? Not sure is why I ask.
Paramedics and nurses do have to file reports describing the circumstances for the fall and any environmental risks such as placement of furniture or height of a bed or recently presribed new medications and underlying medical conditions. It's not just about getting them safely off the floor. A full physical assessment has to be done even before they are lifted up. Checking for bruises, broken bones and head injuries.
 
I wonder if they could figure out something for LTC or even retirement homes, which would stop urine pooling around toilets.

A few of my father's falls have occurred when he missed the toilet, and slipped on urine.
The floors are marble ? for easy cleaning but it means they get quite slippy when wet.
Possibly an alert bell when he gets out of bed or his chair so a nurse can accompany him?
 
I'm wondering about some sort of absorbent mat, shaped to fit around the base of the toilet, which could be laundered daily. They do a lot of laundry in LTC; not sure this would add much to it, especially if you saved it for toilets used by men.
 
LOL. Waterfall, you clearly aren't cognizant of overnight staffing levels in LTC...
Working 10 years in complex care and 15 years in LTC and retirement doesnt qualify me?
Also its my opinion its more of a time saver to escort them to the bathroom rather than rely on briefs to do the job....it keeps their dignity intact longer too....
 
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These days even hospitals are sticking elderly patients in incontinence products. Whether or not they are actually incontinent.

From what I saw with both my mom and dad in different hospitals, patients were strongly encouraged to call for help when a bowel movement was involved. Otherwise, not so much.
 
These happen in the day when he is up and about. Unless he was followed 7x24 I doubt that someone would be there.
 
Is an OT likely to show up at 3 in the morning? Not sure is why I ask.
Paramedics and nurses do have to file reports describing the circumstances for the fall and any environmental risks such as placement of furniture or height of a bed or recently presribed new medications and underlying medical conditions. It's not just about getting them safely off the floor. A full physical assessment has to be done even before they are lifted up. Checking for bruises, broken bones and head injuries.

Did you read the article? It is a paramedic sent. In the one case it is with an OT.
In the other article it is a specially team

Sure, if they weren't on shift, then a standard paramedic team would go.

Is there a problem with that? Trying to understand the downside
 
Did you read the article? It is a paramedic sent. In the one case it is with an OT.
In the other article it is a specially team

Sure, if they weren't on shift, then a standard paramedic team would go.

Is there a problem with that? Trying to understand the downside
Did I mention a downside? Just asked a question.
 
Working 10 years in complex care and 15 years in LTC and retirement doesnt qualify me?
Also its my opinion its more of a time saver to escort them to the bathroom rather than rely on briefs to do the job....it keeps their dignity intact longer too....

Agreed. But it's not what is happening in any long term care facility that I know. Briefs are the saviour of the day.
 
EHS in NS actually has oficially a “ pick up service”. This makes sense, because it prevents injury to family members as well as to the patient having fallen. What most people do not know is the risk of developing rhabdomyolysis Rhabdomyolysis - Wikipedia - whichcan happen when people spend an extended time on the floor. The muscles give up a toxin which leads to acute kidney failure and the risk of death.
Frequent fallers will be flagged by the EHS team and the community team including an OT will be going in for an assessment.
I don’t really agree to an OT driving along all the time, in an emergency, nobody can listen to sugestions. It also would be important to have family there for the appointment if someone lives alone, as the family would be the ones to make the changes ( attach grab bars and so on).
I believe EHS also has a special program for palliative patients ( a list), with regards to checking on them and assist with pain control.
I've not heard of that from someone on a typical floor in a house. I've slept on the floor before (with a blanket under me), I thought that was a pretty common thing people have done when quite ill?
I couldn't find anything on AHS that states what to do with someone who has fallen and can't get up.
There is information on how to get up/help someone up and these only state to call 911 if someone is badly injured. I'm not sure what type of service 211 or resource 811 might offer.

Sending out ambulances to just help get people up does seem like a waste, there are true emergencies and ambulances aren't also available as they do all get called out at times.

I'm not saying there shouldn't be help, but when someone who is badly injured has to wait, to me it seems reasonable someone who is not injured can wait longer.

One thing I do find interesting is that a specific team is dispatched for falls. I know that there are different levels of certification for paramedics and my understand here is that it is random who gets what, it's not really according to specific needs.
 
Chemgal, can be specific dependent on the size of the service. In this case we are talking about reasonably sized services.

Lying on a floor as someone who is old or frail and has fallen is quite different from choosing to lie on afloor.
 
I wonder if they could figure out something for LTC or even retirement homes, which would stop urine pooling around toilets.

A few of my father's falls have occurred when he missed the toilet, and slipped on urine.
The floors are marble ? for easy cleaning but it means they get quite slippy when wet.
The solution is to sit down.
 
Yes, it would be, for someone who was able to change behaviour.
He has dementia.
Good luck.
 
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