Choosing and financing a lift

[HalsWifeFran]

It's time to get a lift. It has been getting more and more difficult for Hal, my husband, to transfer from bed to wheelchair chair, wheelchair to lift /recliner (where he spends much of his day), wheelchair toilet, etc. He has fallen a few times, and now I cannot get him up, even with the help of our son.

I started looking into lifts. There are many types and brands. There is a huge jump in price between hydraulic and electric. Some lifts are not designed to reach all the way to the floor, and hence would not help if a PALS fell. Some are bigger, some smaller - and the smaller, lower profile ones cost more too. One that was very highly rated - small, portable, electric, easy on the caregiver's back - - the "Molift Smart 150" - is very very expensive - retails over $4 thousand dollars.

Hal and I plan to have him stay at home, even after his vent. To put things in perspective: Hal has had a relatively fast progression - he was diagnosed early in his progression on Aug 5, 2009., At that time, he appeared normal to the outside world. Hal even ran a half marathon one month after his diagnosis. But by January 2010, 5 months after diagnosis, he was walking only a few yards, using a walker, and his speech was becoming very labored. Now, Jan 2011, he has a g-tube, speech is possible, but most people need me or our son to interpret, Hal cannot walk , and when he transfers, he either needs assistance or needs to have things positioned just perfectly so that his body is very balanced and the transfer requires minimal strength. He is typing with one finger of his left hand, and he uses a Bi-pap at night..

Our neurologist wrote a prescription for a hoyer lift. I have looked online at many types. Our local DME vendors tend to carry only the low-end hydraulic models. I have asked online vendors of the high-end lifts if they accept insurance for DME - so far no go. Any advice here? I have a recurrent bad back, and am a little person - I weight 120 lbs, Hal weighs 185 or more. I would like to get a lift that is easy to use, will not hurt my back, and is comfortable for Hal. I hope we can use it at home, for a long long time.

 

[abbas child]

Hi Fran,

I understand your concerns with the back issue you have, but from my talking with and watching the women who help me, using an hydraulic (Hoyer-type) lift really isn't hard. It's actually harder for them to arrange the sling around me. Although it hasn't been needed, due to my bad reputation my husband got an Invacare which would be able to pick me up off of the floor. I know that Joel's sling has been altered to make it easier to use by his wife, and he also remains in it. If I were well, I would do work on my sling and make it so that it could be left around me, and not need to be taken off and on. The key there is that it isn't actually left under the patient's skin to be a source of pressure sores.

Best wishes for making the right choice for you and Hal, Fran.

Ann

 

[HalsWifeFran]

Thank you, Ann. That is useful advice. And the off the floor part is a necessity for Hal and me - we've already had to call 911 for assistance with that!

I want to get something that Hal and I can use relatively easily. But I also do not want to spend extra money when it doesn't make a significant difference. I've done enough of that - initially, we spent waay too much on what seem like good purchases at the time, not anticipating Hal's fast progression. Some examples: We had the kitchen remodeled so Hal could get to and fix his own food. Now he uses a g-tube., and I need to administer liquid food and water to him, since his hands are too weak. We purchased a really nice walker with a seat, and huge wheels that Hal can no longer use. We bought a really nice outdoor manual wheelchair that is heavy and doesn't fold - thought we'd use it out in the fields with the dogs, but it does not offer adequate back/neck support for Hal now. And our income is shrinking! (I am almost a full-time caregiver now - I work out of the house at most 2 or three hours a day, while Hal is in bed or with our son. I would much rather do Hal's caregiving than hire someone to do it for me.)

I do hope that we will be able to use our lift and sling for a long, long time - and it will be come something we can rely on. So I do want to get something that works well for us.

 

[joni51]

Fran I am sorry that Hal's progression is so fast, maybe it will come to a point and stay there for awhile. My husband has not progressed more than just swallowing and bad speech as of now, so I am really no help to you. Just know we care!

 

[HalsWifeFran]

Joni -

Thank you, Joni.. I wish you and your husband the best. I am hoping Hal's progression slows - but whether of not it doe, we are going to do our best to keep him alive and happy!

Given we have always intended for Hal to go on a vent and continue to communicate and survive, there is not as much time to prepare as there would have been had his progression been slower. Also, we've had to give up on Hal's initial plans after he was diagnosed. He wanted to travel extensively: to Europe, to the mountains, to see distant family.. But he did not anticipate this fast progression, so he continued to work full time, planning on working for a couple more years and then retiring and experiencing these things. Now he is retiring out of necessity - but it is too late to do many sorts of things that require more strength and robust health. We do want to try some short, easy, fun trips, though - and might be able to use a portable lift for those.

 

[tomby]

Hi Fran
Have you contacted the Alsa and Mda loan closets in your area? I have been amazed at what has been available. We were considering ceiling track lifts and constructed a first floor bed and bath with that in mind, but then I contacted the alsa and they brought over a Hoyer lift within a few days, reaches the floor. Cathy is about your size and I'm about 200, so we were getting worried also.

 

[abbas child]

Fran, have you ever had the experience of using a lift? I have RN friends who are visiting nurses, who tell me that two people are required to use a lift together by their agency. However! The issue is being sued, rather than a question of one person not being capable of doing it alone. If where you work has a lift, try it out. Or if Hal or you have a friend who uses a lift and lives nearby, try it with someone experienced to show you. It looks a lot harder to use than it is in reality. Oh, Good--Tom's idea is great. I wonder if youtube has instructions.
Bingo:YouTube - Transfer a Patient from Bed to Wheelchair Using a Hoyer Lift

 

[HalsWifeFran]

Good things to follow up on! I will contact MDA and ALSA to see if either loan closet has a lift we can use.

I watched the video. It sure doesn't look easy! Positioning the sling correctly, moving the lift with its weighty burden, getting the lift, with person in it, perfectly positioned over the toilet or other target chair - wow. . .After watching that video, g-tube feeding, administering IVs, changing dressings, giving showers - the things I have recently learned to do and am now doing - they seem relatively easier. . .at least physically. . .

It is very reassuring that Tom's wife Cathy is capable of using a hoyer lift. . .

 

[abbas child]

Realize that poor woman was trying to keep her dignity. Phil and the women lower me slowly, then push on what looks like a door hanger to move me back. If Hal has any hand use, he can help you in the beginning, which is the hardest time--the learning time. Moving the lift is easy as long as you don't have changes in floor heights to go over. Here, I had been taken from hardwood over a lip of the tiled shower. One of the women managed it, but usually only Phil did that. Now he drops me into a shower chair on the hardwood, and pushes me into the shower. Dropping is done by a small lever and isn't hard. You simply push it slowly enough that Hal doesn't drop like lead. And the bar (coat hanger) is lightweight plastic, has sat on my head and my shoulders many times--not a problem at all until my neck became weak.

 

[LizT]

Please remove any carpeting on your floors before you use the lift. yes it is possible to still use lifts with carpeting, but it makes it a LOT more difficult to maneuver and is very very dangerous!

 

[Miss]

Fran,

My husband's progression has been very rapid, too. Thankfully, we got the Invacare Power lift early. My husband "missed" the seat of his lift chair and slid to the ground. My son (16) and I couldn't get him up. ( He cannot use his arms or hands ) We brought the lift in - we had never used it, never experimented with it or anything. Without any problem, we got the sling under him, lifted him from the ground and put him in his chair. He felt very secure and comfortable. After that, I took the control and sat in the lift myself. I got used to the feel of where the sling needs to be on my body to make it comfortable. The lift itself is very easy for me to maneuver by myself, too. It goes smoothly over the hardwood floors, carpet, thresholds, etc. It requires very little clearance. Fortunately, we have not needed to use it yet, but I am certainly glad it is there. We will probably begin using it in the next few weeks as my husband is getting weaker on his feet.

 

[HalsWifeFran]

Miss -
Interesting the the Invacare Power Lift does work well on carpets and over thresholds. I expect that different models are very different in that regard.
Our home has very cheap, flat carpet - and it would be expensive to replace the carpet with other flooring. I like the suggesting of practicing on myself.

Were you able to get some insurance financing?

(I hate ALS! It is so difficult to watch Hal lose his independence. When he asks me for assistance - and that is happening more and more) I try to mentally put myself into his "place" - I know he hates to need to ask so frequently - and the asking part is physically more difficult now, too. . .Early this morning Hal was unable to roll over in bed. I was already out out the room, and our son had the call button. Hal doesn't like to ask our son for help early in the morning, while Jason is still in bed. So Hal struggled for 10 minutes. Unsuccessfully. Then his bladder went into spasm.

And its only going to get worse. AARRRGH!

 

[Miss]

We didn't have to use insurance or medicare. My husband is a Vet, and the VA provided it. But, when we wanted/needed a recumbent bike, the doctor wrote a prescription and we deducted it from our taxes since it wasn't considered durable medical equipment.

 

[NancyJ]

We use the hydraulic Invacare lift. I am able to get him into the sling and up off the floor..Had to do that a couple weeks ago when he thought he could still use his legs a bit. We were given the wrong sling in the beginning, but once we got the right one, I am able to get him around with no problem. No carpeting is great, but I am able to move him around on our carpet too. Our primary insurance is private, with Medicare 2nd. We are renting the lift and any sling I have is included with the rental. I had just ordered a toileting sling and there was no charge when I picked it up.

 

[HalsWifeFran]

Helpful info! I think I will try a rental first - whatever I end up getting through a rental, I'm sure it would be useful to have tried some form of lift, and better understand what we need, before we buy any permanent one.