Lifeofpi
New member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2017
- Messages
- 2
- Reason
- Loved one DX
- Diagnosis
- 09/2013
- Country
- US
- State
- Maryland
- City
- Bethesda
My 80 year old mother in law is now entering what we believe are the final stages of the disease. She is almost completely paralyzed from the neck down and needs the bipap 24 hours a day. No trach or stomach tube. Her voice is relatively strong, however, and we have done the maximum to give her access to her friends and family. To that end, we have been using a hoyer lift for the last couple of years. Once in the wheelchair, she is pushed by an attendant into the family room where she can interact with her friends. My question is at what point do ALS patients stop using the hoyer lift and remain in bed all day?
We have a new attendant and she is struggling with the hoyer lift. It is one of her chief complaints. She often asserts that the hoyer lift requires two or three attendants in facilities. Prior attendants have adjusted to handling the lift, but I don’t know whether my MIL is now reaching the point where the hoyer lift involves too much risk for her and her attendant. How do I know? Is the test really how comfortable my MIL is in the wheelchair itself such that, if she’s okay in the wheelchair there should always be a way to get her into it?
This is a tough moment for the family. We want her to get out of bed and interact. We also don’t want a new attendant’s anxieties to drive our strategy with the hoyer lift. Attendants would be happier to leave the patient in bed than manage the transfer I’m sure. It makes for an easier job. On the other hand, we don’t want to risk a fall or ask the attendant to do the impossible.
I would appreciate thoughts from any and all.
We have a new attendant and she is struggling with the hoyer lift. It is one of her chief complaints. She often asserts that the hoyer lift requires two or three attendants in facilities. Prior attendants have adjusted to handling the lift, but I don’t know whether my MIL is now reaching the point where the hoyer lift involves too much risk for her and her attendant. How do I know? Is the test really how comfortable my MIL is in the wheelchair itself such that, if she’s okay in the wheelchair there should always be a way to get her into it?
This is a tough moment for the family. We want her to get out of bed and interact. We also don’t want a new attendant’s anxieties to drive our strategy with the hoyer lift. Attendants would be happier to leave the patient in bed than manage the transfer I’m sure. It makes for an easier job. On the other hand, we don’t want to risk a fall or ask the attendant to do the impossible.
I would appreciate thoughts from any and all.