Need a stairgate to stop me falling down stairs at night.

Lovetopaint037

I’m seeing the doctor next Tuesdayfor an assessment.Hopefully I can get some help then.

Excellent.
I hope it's a simple solution.

The problem with flats are the maintenance/service charges go up every year and sometimes end up costing more than you can afford. Also in some cases the so called maintenance isn't ever done properly. A friends service charges has more than doubled in the five years she's lived in her flat. Its a lovely flat but she's worried she won't be able to afford it much longer and at 78 her options are limited. House builders don't want to build bungalows because they take up the same space as a house. Although I think they could get two small bungalows with less garden on the space of one house.

I’m seeing the doctor next Tuesdayfor an assessment.Hopefully I can get some help then.

Stories like this just make me feel sad that there are fewer and fewer bungalows around now.

If we ever down-sized, a bungalow would be my first choice rather than a flat, yet they are increasingly being knocked down to be replaced with large family homes.

farmgran

You might not like the sound of this, but if you are just getting up for a quick wee you would be much safer with a commode.
Easy to empty the bucket in the morning!

This sounds like a very sensible option to me.

I have a horror of stairs and falls at night ever since my friend’s mother died after falling downstairs as did a close friend of DH.

I’m glad I live in a bungalow.

OP that product mentions bab6 and dog.
Neither of which you are.
It is a mistake to use products for situations for which they were not designed.
This is a basic safety provision
Frankly you do not sound to be in the best accommodation for your needs and condition.
You sound quite frail. With numerous falls.
As others have said I think you need a thorough medical review.
And possibly OT input re your living arrangements.
Any chance of moving to a flat or supported living?

Lovetopaint037 - the open/closures on that gate you've ordered looks much the same as my GS's stairgate which opened when I fell against it. If you do fit that one, it might be an idea to ask your son to put his full weight against it to test it. I hope you get safely sorted soon

If anyone is falling on their landing at night, there is a real chance they would tumble all the way downstairs. I think an OT would politely suggest the person has their bed moved downstairs and adjust to downstairs living, and to not risk causing a life changing injury.

The tall gate in the picture will only be useful at the bottom of the stairs and not the top, which is where I would need it.

I agree that you need to see your gp and get a referral to the falls clinic . Physios will help you with your balance and the OTs can come to your house to see if changes can be made . My mother is a falls risk and she now has a commode in her bedroom. Plus my husband fitted a sensor to her landing light , so she has light when she leaves the bedroom .
The OTs will also give advice on a stair gate and whether it’s right for you .
Plus get your gp to investigate your not sleeping . Do you have AC or friends who would be a second pair of ears and help fight your cause .

If you are at risk of falling and do not feel safe. Please speak to your GP and request referral to the falls team. A stairgate could cause more problems than it's worth!

I have no suggestions to add to any of the good ones above, but just wanted to say that it is great that you have recognised this as a potential danger before it has happened.

Three or four years ago I was still half asleep when I came out of the bathroom one night (no light on!) and somehow went past the bedroom door and came within a hair's breadth of turning into the staircase instead. Miraculously, some second sense stopped me at the last possible moment, but even now, it still scares me how close I came to tumbling down our dangerously steep, narrow staircase. Since then, a nightlight, originally used only when the grandchildren were staying the night, is left on all the time.

My husband built a gate for our stairs, so dogs can't go up.

Easy diy, screwed in place, safe.

I really think investigating the cause of these falls would be wise.

You could fall, hit the stair gate and knock yourself out. Not being alarmist but it's a thought.

Notspaghetti

Well, obviously one would just fix it higher up the wall (thus higher off the ground).

One presumes Lovetopaint037 wouldn't be likely to want to crawl underneath!!
.

Make sure that it opens onto the landing, not the stairs!!
.

Yoh can get a glass gate made. Really tough glass. Fitted with hinges so opens full width and no foot rail needed. My son has one at the bottom of stairs and one on the stairs that leads to a couple of bedrooms. Needed to curtail dog. You just flick a lever to open and close.

Why don't you put a conventional child's stair gate across the door to your bedroom which would prevent you falling before you got to the top of the stairs and save the expense of a carpenter or dog gate. We found a stairgate I our local Oxfam..cheap as chips. Then returned it when little ones didn't need it any more.

Thank you again everyone. The commode is not an idea I fancy but if the gate doesn’t work out I will certainly consider that. The appt with the doctor is an assessment as he says various things can cause it. I will explain that all the falls in the day haven’t been caused by dizziness etc. I have been fully awake. Each one had a cause - missing the last step on the kitchen steps and falling back onto washing machine Had to go to A&E, Then talking to someone who called me over to their driveway and I stepped back onto an old gate stop (only one still left in any driveway around here and they were just moving in) soA&E for 7 stitches in my arm. Not lifting my leg high enough getting onto bus and falling on the deck resulting in lots of bleeding and an ulcer etc etc etc. ones recently at night all involving being half asleep. I am just not sleeping. Terrified of taking sleeping tablet and yet need it. So will hope to make the doctor understand that I need help with the sleep problem and also the weak legs and balance. Hope to be referred to the falling clinic.

NotSpaghetti

Wouldn't you need to have something much taller? I'm sure I could fall over an ordinary height stairgate if I stumbled onto it at night. And they aren't very sturdy... I might look to have something made specially - or fit a garden gate at a sensible height?

This isn't a UK company but I'm sure there must be similar here:
www.gatekeepersafe.com

Simply fix it higher up? After all she is not going to crawl under

I would seek an appt at the Gp first to see where you go from there - why are you waking?
Hope you get some restful, safe sleep.

Is an insane design fault putting bathrooms directly at the top of the stairs.
I imagine many have suffered bad accidents in the night due to this.

Help Lovetopaint037, I feel your anxiety! My house has a stupid design, small bedroom is the nicer as it has a veranda. But I’m frightened of sleeping in there as when you come out of the door onto the landing, you are literally on the top stair!

So I sleep in a huge room!

farmgran

You might not like the sound of this, but if you are just getting up for a quick wee you would be much safer with a commode.
Easy to empty the bucket in the morning!

I agree with this, my OH has used a commode post stroke because his mobility can be a bit wobbly, he is back upstairs in his own bed after sleeping downstairs for months, so has the commode because our bathroom is at the top of the stairs and am scared of him falling.
Are planning to move to a bungalow as and when we can sell our house and organise everything.

My friend did fall down the stairs going from her bedroom to the loo in the dark. She had a bleed on the brain and has been very unwell ever since.

I live in an old cottage and have the same danger area on the landing. I am going to ask my son to put a handrail on the wall opposite the stairs.