I thought I was done with updates, but no.....
Our phone rang this morning at 5:30 am. Dad had fallen and he pressed his Lifeline button. My sister (3 miles from Dad) was first on the list but she did not answer her phone. I'm next on the list, but 30 miles away and I don't have a key! I gave my set of keys to the home health aide and my sister said she'd make a copy for us and give it to us on Sunday when we all get together with Dad.
I tried to call my sister, her cell, her husband and no one answered. Lifeline said they'd call Dad's local Fire and EMS. They told me if they couldn't get in they would have to knock down the door. They also told me they were speaking to Dad and he was ok, just couldn't get up. He had stood next to the bed to pee in the urinal and lost his balance when he tried to get back in bed. He did just fine 2 other times last night but on the third time he dropped the urinal (it didn't open!) and maybe he reached for it or something.
My DH immediately put clothes on and was ready to get in the car. We had a snowstorm last night so it would have taken him at least 45 minutes and without a key it didn't make sense for him to leave.
Lifeline told me that I could call Dad and he could hear me on the speakerphone so that's what I did. Of course, he didn't have his hearing aides in so we were both shouting, but I was reassured when I could hear that he wasn't hurt, just stuck. I asked him if he was lying down and if he could reach a blanket and he said he was on the floor with his head against a shelf, but that he was ok. I stayed on the speakerphone until EMS got inside and I talked to a paramedic who said they got him back in bed and would check him out. He didn't want to go to a hospital. I asked them to leave a phone in bed with him and have him call me after they left. He banged up his arm and bled a little on his white carpet and bumped his nose.
EMS didn't have to knock down the door, there is a 24 hour guard at the apartment building gate and the guard keeps a master key for occasions like this. I bet the guards know the EMS crew pretty well by now as there are many seniors in his building.
OY VAY!! He'd been home less than 24 hours and we've already had a crisis! Thank goodness he had the Lifeline, well worth whatever it costs. I'm impressed with the service and the technology. Being able to call from home and have him hear me helped us both feel better.
After EMS had left Dad called me and I knew he was ok. He said he would just stay in bed until his aide came.
Lifeline called me to follow up after the incident was over. I thanked them profusely and I told them we would all talk about how to plan better for the next call.
But DAMN, this did not go as planned. I didn't hear from my sister until a few hours later when she got up and checked her messages. She had her ringer off on her upstairs phone and she couldn't hear the downstairs phone. She had always kept the ringer off upstairs because her husband's kids all live out of town and would call at odd hours. Her cell phone was in the charger in the kitchen. She feels just terrible and kept apologizing.
Obviously we need to do better with this. My sister must be able to hear her phone. I must have set of keys. Neither of us knew that the 24 hour guard has a master key.
My sister's DH had a suggestion that we will look into. Dad needs to tell his doctor about how often he urgently needs to get up during the night and see if he can get a prescription to help with that. He'd be a lot safer if he didn't need to get up so often.
I need a nap. And a little alcohol later seems justified.
