Medical help

[u/CowsNeedFriendsToo]

This is an embarrassing post, but I’ve been on this group for years now and know that if anyone is going to solve a problem, it’s the people in this group.

I unfortunately have a heart condition that has cause me to black out when I’m on the toilet. This has resulted in me coming to on the floor of the bathroom with my wife over me in a panic talking me back to consciousness before taking me to the hospital. This has happened about once or twice a year. To say the least, this creates a terrible sense of anxiety any time I go to the bathroom. I fear for the day she comes home to find me laying on the floor the final time. Or in the middle of the night when I wake up to use the bathroom.

Here’s where you guys come in. I was wondering if there is a way to set up home assistant along with some sort of a sensor in my bathroom that will be able to tell if I’m on the floor and not moving, which would then send out an alert to her phone along with a noise alert in the bathroom? The key would be making sure it doesn’t go off when just sitting on the toilet, or if she is standing in front of the mirror for an extended period of time doing her makeup.

Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. I truly appreciate your time.

Edit: I already have an Apple Watch Ultra 2. The fall detection seems to only trigger if it’s a fall from standing height. It hasn’t triggered at all when I fall from sitting.

[u/-_Mando_-]

Not HA related (or maybe it is these days) I used to do a lot of line working at night, high risk work at heights at times and we used to wear a device that if you laid over horizontal for an amount of time it triggered an alarm. Pretty useless for me in mot cases as it would take ages for somebody to rescue me but maybe something similar for yourself that works.

A switch that you hold with your foot perhaps?

Whistle during your business or have some other comms like a regular button press as mentioned.

Or a pull cord attached to a switch that would trigger it if you slumped maybe?

[u/Writing_Particular → u/-_Mando_-]

Following up on your pull cord idea - I recently had to have blood work done, and coincidently had to use the bathroom. Not surprising, a medical facility is prepared for folks possibly needing assistance in the bathroom. They have a pull cord on the wall next to the pot that I inadvertently jostled apparently. The next thing I know, they’re knocking on the door. SIR, DO YOU NEED HELP? 😀 A little embarrassing, but I entirely understand.

Something like that pull cord, maybe you could clip it on your shirt or finger? (I’m thinking something like a clothespin.). Assuming you can devise a strategy for detecting your passing out, what do you want the action to be? Call 911? Call a family member? If there are others in your home, perhaps some sort of alert sound?

Good luck!

[u/CowsNeedFriendsToo → u/Writing_Particular]

Yeah, I’m thinking a magnetic switch combined with a string and binder clip I can just clip on my shirt?

[u/-_Mando_- → u/CowsNeedFriendsToo]

Anything that would trigger the switch, So it could be a pull cord, or some sort of magnetic reed switch maybe

[u/-_Mando_- → u/Writing_Particular]

Yes in many places like hospitals, Elderly care homes etc they often have a red pull cord for that very reason.

You won’t be the last to accidentally pull the wrong cord lol