getting my PAL to the toilet is getting harder

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kbenton22

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Joined
Feb 27, 2011
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10
Diagnosis
11/2010
Country
US
State
MD
City
Bel Air
My mom, diagnosed in Nov of 2010, is now having difficulty with both legs and pivoting her to the toilet is getting difficult. How have all of you handled this transition? What are some tricks to help her ? Thanks,
 
Get a beside commode with drop arms. There comes a time when navigating to the bathroom becomes dangerous. Make the transition before it becomes a necessity. It will be easier on the psych as well as the body.
 
I transferred my husband to a rolling shower/commode chair by Etac. I used it as a transport chair and put it right over the toilet.
 
22,

I am a full lift, so further advanced than your mom. They still pick me up from under the arms and set me on the bedside potty. They just have it angled. My full time caregiver is not a very strong person but she does it quite easily. We also have a lift that has a sling with a hole cut out in the bottom. I'm trying to get them to use it more often. I feel it will be easier on them.

Also, does your mother use a hospital bed? If she does and her bed raises up and down (I don't mean head and feet) then make sure you raise the bed all the way up to put her on potty and lower it all the way down to put her back in bed. Your back will thank you for that little option.
 
Before the bathroom was modified, another helper and myself would HOYER my PALS to the potty chair in his room. One trick that I used was to line the potty chair with a garbage bag. It really helped when "tidying" the aftereffects of "chemical warfare"; if you catch my drift. This could be a plastic bag from a store or may times I used just plain old white liners for the trash can.
Now, another person and I (so that means I am constantly playing secretary to line up another "Helper" ) Hoyer him from his pwc to the toilet.
 
Retired,

We learned the plastic bag trip when I was in the nursing home. They used the bags for on the bedpans so we just started using them on the potty. Clean up is much easier.

Also, we use baby wipes. They are moist, soft and gentle. Just don't flush them. They can back up even a good sewer line.
 
We used a flushable wipe, followed by warm washclothes (washed in clorox and double rinsed). Less expensive and very easy to clean up. We tried never to use the pan under the commode! We kept it there until we got to the toilet since it was a long way from the den to the accessible bathroom (even as a quad, my husband did not ever stay in bed!).
 
we have a pivoting transfer stand that my husband can roll up to, stand and not have to move. I rotate the transfer stand and then lower him down on the comode. I really love this stand we bought on the internet for a couple hundred dollars and it makes transfers so easy for now, since he can stand this works...I am scared of when he can not stand any longer .

I wear my rubber gloves and wipe with regualr tp followed by babywipes and then a face cloth if it is really stubborn. I agree--do not flush even the flushable wipes--they will eventually clog up a system! Easiest is bath days when we put the comode in the shower, and wash up with the handhelld shower afterwards, followed by a complete shower.

We don't use bags in the bowl, did a few times but it seems easier to just pour every thing down the toilet and then rinse and flush again. I leave the bowl soaking in the tub with a few drops of toilet bowl cleaner and it looks and smells clean.
 
Barbie~~~ wished I had that transfer stand you speak of; sounds very helpful... how wonderful for your pals .....alas we are past those days...
I agree about the wipes... I get the baby ones on sale or use a coupon.... We are on well and septic so I am constantly having "REMINDER LESSONS" to those who assist me about NOT putting the wipes in the toilet. Geesh what is so hard about that. Just keep the trash can nearby and toss! pALS WITH HIS WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOR SAYS HE DOES HIS PART, BY TRYING TO MAKE THINGS COME OUT OF HIS BODY "CLEAN." wE GIGGLE a lot. I used to spray a little bathroom cleaner in the bowl, swish and dump in the toilet. You are right; I try very hard to make everything smelling as fresh as possible. It's a Never ending job.
 
UH OH... JUST GOT MODERATED.. maybe it will show up later...
 
What is the name of that lift? I was thinking something like that would work. Right now we put the commode chair over the toilet, so we can flush everything. She does use the wipes as needed and diposes of them separately. She has this small half wall next to her toilet that makes it difficult for me to lift her up now that her legs are weaker. She is nervous about the changes we have to make as she gets weaker. In her her mind, its just one more reminder of this horrible disease. I want to get a hoyer lift to help, all of the suggestions I will try.
 
How do they angle it? I want to invent a hydraulic/electronic commode chair to help with standing.....that would solve this dilemma...
 
The rolling shower/ commode chair sounds like the safest solution because of that half wall. You can transfer her in the bedroom where you'll have more room and then wheel her right over the toilet.
 
The Etac rolling shower/commode chair can turn on a dime. It will go around the half wall with no problem.
 
My mom also cannot walk or get up herself. The way I set her on the toilet starts with bringing her in with the wheelchair. Then putting the brakes on the wheelchair about 1 foot or closer from the toilet. Oh ya, make sure she has socks on since this will make pivoting and positioning her feet & legs a lot easier and quicker. I lift her up and wait til she is in a stable position, then I turn her to the toilet. Once she is ready I slowly support her weight in a squatting position until she is set on the toilet.

Lifting and setting my mom in places has been easier since I started applying basic weightlifting principles. The most important thing that has helped me is "PUSH UP WITH LEGS AND THEN UPPER BODY". Do not just try to lift a person with your arms and back only. Trust me this will help.
 
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