Stiffness

[GilWest]

How are you managing the joint stiffness that comes with immobility. Mom's shoulders are starting to worry me. I do not think the range of motion the health aides are doing is enough, and she will not let me work with her. She yells like I am killing her and gets angry. Her doctor says the stiffness is inevitable.

 

[Atsugi]

We used many things to combat pain from stiffness.
ROM exercises, massages, frequent changes of position, a rotating mattress, and medication.

 

[Barbie]

Work it anyway, but gentle. my CNA does it for him everyday, and I do it first thing and last thing every day.

You may be doing it too roughly--as it is painful as they get stiff. the way I work my husband, I push very slowly until he winces or moans and then immediately back off. Over time, you can stretch farther if it is done on a daily basis, but it will never be like a normal person. so have a code with her and stop when she says. if you do that but several times a day it will really help. Also maybe give her a motrin or aleve before hand. We also had a massage therapist come regularly for a while and that helped a lot too.

 

[GilWest]

I once tried a heating pad on the shoulders before stretching and it seemed to help. She is in a nursing home and her chart "says" they are doing ROM exercises when they dress her, but I do not think they are being thorough with it. I am in between a rock and a hard place. I cannot bring her to my house because her illness really upsets my 3 small kids and taking her to her own house would cause me to have to basically move out of my house and in with her.

 

[Barbie]

you could hire an out side massage therapist to go to the nursing home weekly.