In spite of attempts to prevent falls my father will get up in the middle of the night and inevitably fall. I am afraid to take hold of his hands or arms because he is so fragile and his skin is so delicate. What is the safest way for him and me to get him lifted off the ground. He is not very heavy but weighs around 160.
Any thoughts from anyone who has had similiar issues??
There are some good websites that have training videos on how to lift patients who have fallen. I have gone through this with my mom when she first came home from the hospital - now she uses a walker. Falls are scarey for all of us.
One time she could not do this. I called the ambulance; an EMT asked how much she weighed. At 130 pounds, he could lift her and put her into bed. We later learned that when elderly people have urinary tract infections, they become unsteady. You might check that out.
I put a bell on her walker so I would know when she is moving around. She has to move it to get out of bed. Then I get up to check on her. I keep telling her that if she wants to live at home, she must not end up on the floor. USE THE WALKER!