Elderly relative help required
Discussion
My elderly nan lives on her own miles away from where I am. I worry about her because she struggles breathing after being mugged some years back, she can't walk too far without the need to sit down. My concern is if she had a fall how do doctors/medical teams know who to contact?
If I was to put a in case of emergency card in her purse would they think to look for one? Has anyone else been in a similar situation that can give me some pointers?
Been to see her this weekend and it's got me over thinking things.
If I was to put a in case of emergency card in her purse would they think to look for one? Has anyone else been in a similar situation that can give me some pointers?
Been to see her this weekend and it's got me over thinking things.
Medicalert jewellery would be ideal if she's out and about, it's used to pass on irelevant nformation to the emergency services once they call and go through a verification process.
If it's just at home or in the garden, there are loads of pendant systems that can call for help.
Her local council, or Age Concern can help with these.
If it's just at home or in the garden, there are loads of pendant systems that can call for help.
Her local council, or Age Concern can help with these.
Her local NHS trust should have a falls prevention strategy, that may include some help that would be available to her. However it is often mainly for those who already have an established history of falling, so if that isn't happening you may need to look at other options. My best suggestion would be to call her local authority's social care helpline and see if she can be provided with a pendant alarm, which she can wear around her neck and trigger if she needs assistance. With such limited mobility, it may be worth asking for a social worker to do a full assessment to see what else she is eligible for.
A lot of fire brigades have a service for the elderly where they can assess their homes to see how at risk they are, and refer them for further help.
I would also be asking about adaptations to her home, someone should be looking at installing grab rails etc.
A lot of fire brigades have a service for the elderly where they can assess their homes to see how at risk they are, and refer them for further help.
I would also be asking about adaptations to her home, someone should be looking at installing grab rails etc.
What I did was speak with my parents Dr and asked him to look into my Dads conditions. Once he agreed Dad was assessed and then the Dr contacted Social service who came and did an assessment and adaption of their home.
This had two effects, one they got a safer home, they got an emergency call system via a pendant and ring back check after activation. But the biggest was they were now in the system and as he got worse they knew what had to be done to get further help.
The biggest issue was getting them to accept the help they were entitled to and needed
This had two effects, one they got a safer home, they got an emergency call system via a pendant and ring back check after activation. But the biggest was they were now in the system and as he got worse they knew what had to be done to get further help.
The biggest issue was getting them to accept the help they were entitled to and needed
Tubbytommy said:
Thank you all for your help/ideas/suggestions. I'm going to go for a pendant system as long as it's agreed to.
It is called a community alarm system. Some local authorities may have outsourced the monitoring though retain the supply of the alarm unit. You can get attachments such as falls monitors, pressure mats for wanderers, wrist buttons as well as the main alarm unit. Have a look at http://www.tunstall.co.uk/ on the web as they are the largest alarm supplier.
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