The Case of Mrs. F. – Safety at Home

Review the following case and respond to the questions below as a nurse case manager who is doing a safety assessment in the home:

Mrs. F., an 84 year old woman, has lived at this home all of her married life (60 years). Her husband had a recent stroke and is now at a local rehab/skilled nursing facility. The stroke was mild but did affect his right side so he has trouble walking and eating. Mrs. F. still drives and visits him twice daily bringing him food to eat and takes care of him while she is there. Plans are that he will be in the facility for another week and then he will come home. Mrs. F. has arthritis and walks with a limp. She does not use any assistive devices because those are “for sissies”. She was recently diagnosed with COPD as she was a smoker for many years. She believes that she is well and can still do anything around the house particularly take care of her husband. They have 7 children who all live in the general area and want to help as much as they can. Mrs. F. discourages their help because she believes she and her husband can do “just fine”. The house is a two story and quite old. It has not been updated for many years. There are a lot of old antiques and the house is crowded with many “memories” such as photos, crafts, rugs, and small pieces of furniture Mrs. F.’s husband made.

1. In your assessment, identify any safety risks for Mrs. F. in her home and those that may be a challenge when her husband returns from Rehab.
2. Determine what might be done to manage these risks and make the home safe.
3. Describe any other safety issues in this situation and what might be done about them.
4. Explain how you will work with Mrs. F. to discuss the risks and how you can encourage her to make her home and life safer. What obstacles might you encounter in doing this? How will you overcome them?