So, how many falls is considered too many for a dementia patient at an elder care facility?

Assumptions:

• This person is in a wheelchair and can not hold herself up.
• It is against the law to use restraints in the USA (not Canada).
• It depends on the point-of-view of the person answering – i.e. the facility responsible for keeping my mother safe, the Department of Social Services (DSS) investigator, and those of us feeling completely helpless…

The answer I will provide is based on DSS findings (and my own documentation gathered from facility reports to me). No need to provide any other answers, as her facility doesn’t seem to care how many falls my Mom has (although they admit it’s wrong she is left unattended) and I think one fall is one too many when negligence is the issue….

According to the DSS findings, the facility reported falls on 3/9, 3/10 (transported to hospital 3/11 and moved to rehab through 3/29), 4/22, 5/17, 5/17-18, 6/20, (6/24 NOT REPORTED – see photo below of injuries to her face) they also told me she started vomiting on the 6/25 – NOT REPORTED), 7/28, 9/15 (they found her on the floor of the activities room), 9/23 (left her at bathroom sink where she tried to stand up – unattended – and wash her hands. 10/15 NOT REPORTED, nor was Hospice or I notified in a timely manner (hours). 10/30 NOT REPORTED. 11/16 – NOT REPORTED. 12/7 – NOT REPORTED. Just found a few more based on my Facebook posts that were NOT REPORTED. See below.

So more than one per month – 14+ that I know of since 1/1/22. I know there are more based on what I am told when I visit, but not all were documented, nor was I notified.

Here’s another kicker — on 9/23/22 she was sent out to the hospital, despite orders not to given her Do Not Transport and Hospice situation. She was sent without any ‘advocate’ despite her not being able to remember anything, communicate, or make decisions. Spoke with the administrator at the facility and I was told:

• “In memory care we don’t have 1:1 care available; falls are going to happen.”
• “I agree she shouldn’t have been left alone.”
• The memory care team also admitted to NOT realizing my Mom was in Hospice care.

Here’s the DSS report I just received a few weeks ago which is public information if you want to search for it. I can’t provide a direct link so click on the link below and search for Our Lady of the Valley.

https://www.dss.virginia.gov/facility/search/alf.cgi?rm=Inspection;Inspection=31418;ID=10864;search_keywords_name=our%20lady

And here is what almost one year looks like – from Christmas Eve last year (see clock on the wall) to current January 5, 2023.

Notes from Medical Sitter – April 3, 2022 – reported findings to facility

I don’t even know what to do with this or how to help her.

Now that the facility has been found in violation, what next? Do they kick her out and say she’s too much to handle?

Rehab/Nursing Care is >$10K a month out of pocket. We have had to pay for both of her rooms / overlap at Our Lady of the Valley twice now. I have spent so much time, lost work, and lost my own health trying to keep my Mom safe.

She can’t keep falling like this – it’s absurd. Oh, and she has fallen since the DSS report came out in Dec 2022.

I would love your insights / advice. I can’t believe I’m fighting for her to be released and have no good plan. It’s like dealing with my Dad being locked down and coming home for 16 hours with Hospice all over again. I feel so helpless…