Moving, Stairs, Falls & Atypical Parkinsonism

By: Laura Louizos

I will post a bit about our journey with moving, stairs and falls In hope it helps shed some light.

We waited too long to move my parents (but it’s what they wanted) they moved in on April 13th 2019 and mom passed a month later on May 18, 2019

We Sold the family home that had stairs. You had to follow her around the house to prevent falls and almost every time you didn’t she fell. It was awful. One time she fell so hard backwards on the stairs she went right through the wall. We were amazed she didn’t seriously hurt herself. It was awful to watch and have to explain to her she couldn’t do things like before. Their brain “forgets” what they are capable of (but they will seem sharp as hell sometimes, part of the disease)

When we were packing up the house one day. I was outside while she laid in bed upstairs with my dad. She knows she was not allowed to get out of bed without someone there with her. (Dad was sleeping) she fell face first on the hardwood and broke her glasses. Even after ever fall and injury she would still “forget” and falls would happen. Standing up was bad for my mom also as she had a tendency to fall backwards. I would make sure every time she stood up I was there just in case. You never know when it could happen. It’s unpredictable.

Somethings that helped us while in the house with stairs and as the disease progressed—

A wireless doorbell (she would ring it from the bed upstairs if she needed me or had to get up) I would suggest a camera also, we didn’t use one but looking back it would have been so helpful.

Railings on walls and on both sides of the stairs!

Pull bar to get in and out of bed safely.

If possible to always have someone nearby seems to be the best prevention of falls. But you have to be careful not to hurt yourself!

This disease requires 24/7 care and they need advocates to fight for them!