Any sugguestions to help with hydration/

[Snowman78]

Dad has gotten to the point he can't use his arms and therefore can't get to his cup to take a drink. We help him as much as possible, but we can't sit by his side all the time to give him his drink. Any ideas on this, as far as how or what I might can set up. I could put it on his tray table when he is in the bed but he refuses to stay in the bed even though even I am struggling to move him around now. The tray table won't fit with the recliner to go across him or we would be fine.

 

[affected]

Can he drink through a straw?

 

[Snowman78]

Yes he can still drink through a straw, I just have to figure out a way to get the straw close enough to him.

 

[Nikki J]

Can you do the camel pack?

 

[Snowman78]

I thought about that, looking into them online now actually.

 

[Diane H]

Making him stay in bed is going to cause pressure sores as well as limiting his life more than necessary. He should have a hoyer lift if he is difficult for you to move him out of bed. Doesn't he have a power chair with a pressure relief cushion to sit on? A recliner is not good for circulation. With a wheelchair you can buy or cut a simple lap tray from plywood to put his drink on so he can reach it.

 

[Snowman78]

No he does not have a power chair. All he has is a recliner with gel cushion.

 

[Snowman78]

And we haven't gotten a lift because the house is carpeted and we couldn't roll it on the carpet with him on it I don't think.

 

[Diane H]

Yes, a hoyer lift is difficult to move on carpet. Thick, well padded carpet makes you feel that it would be easier to throw him over your shoulder and carry him! But if you only use the Hoyer lift to get him back and forth from bed to wheelchair you won't have to push the lift around. Once in the power chair he can be moved easily around the house or outside. A power chair can handle even thick carpet with no effort from the caregiver. Power chairs have driving controls on the back for caregivers when the person can't use their hands to drive themselves. I encourage you to contact your local MDA and see if they have a Hoyer lift and power chair that you could use at least long enough to see if it won't mean an improvement in your dad's quality of life and ease of care. Medicare will pay 80% of the cost if you buy the equipment. It takes about six months to get the paperwork for a chair filed, processed, and approved. You can find them at really low prices on eBay or Craig's list but if they are not fitted to your dad's height, leg length, etc. it may be uncomfortable.

 

[affected]

I used an electric hoist on carpet, by myself. It is harder than on a hard floor, but I would have worried I would roll it too fast on a hard floor too.

I was asking about the straw thinking of camel packs. My Chris was unable to drink from a straw at about the same time he was losing his ability to lift a cup, so that didn't work for us.

I did make a contraption with a microphone stand that allowed him to use his index finger, which thankfully was the only finger that still had some movement til the end, to tip a cup that was held in front of his mouth. It was amazing how well it worked. He could only drink sips of thickened tea or coffee for the pleasure of the taste until the last few weeks of his life.

 

[Snowman78]

Our Hospice nurse is having a Hoyer lift sent to the house to try out and see if it will work. It is berber carpet so not fluffy like some. I can probably use it but mom won't be able to. We talked today (me, dad, mom, & nurse) about the dangers of mom continuing to try and move him and agreed she shouldn't any more. I think the plan for now will be for me to get him out of bed and to the potty chair and then over to his chair in the mornings and then transfer him back to the bed before I head to work around 1:00 and then he will stay in the bed till I go my lunch break at which time I can transfer him back to his chair until I get off work and put him to bed. We may not have all of the equipment but we are doing our best. He actually has a normal power chair that he was given years ago for other problems and has never ever used, he wouldn't have any part of it as long as he was capable of walking. The batteries are no go anymore but he couldn't drive it now anyway.

 

[Barbie]

Snowman--sometimes you have to think out side the box, just like Tillie did with the mic stand. we have a homemade cup holder that is awesome! we have a stainless steel pipe that is shaped in a 90 degree turn and on the end we attached a $5 cup holder like the ones used for strollers. The pipe (can't remember the dimensions) was fabricated at a metal shop to our specs. on our first wheel chair the end of the pipe slipped into an opening for a knee brace and we designed it to be the perfect height so husband could sit and drink from a straw. on the new chair we have a bracket that fits on the chair and the pipe fits on the bracket. BTW, the pipe is the same diameter as an eye gaze chair stand so that is why the per Mobil bracket works. in addition, we screwed a 2x4x 1 to the wall, and using a hole saw the same diameter as the pipe, make a stand holder for the pipe. we can put the pipe in the wood stand and hubby can drive up to the wall and sip from his drink as well.

my point is you cant always find what you need , but you can often times make what you need!

 

[Barbie]

I have a post that went to moderation explaining our drink holder. hopefully here is a picture of it...it is on my profile if not

 

[affected]

Definitely if you mum wouldn't be able to use an electric hoist she should NOT be lifting him manually.

Using the hoist is so easy on the CALS body compared to manually helping with transfers.

 

[Snowman78]

They delivered a manual hoyer lift today. I have to learn how to get him situated in the sling but hopefully it will help. My lower back isn't going to take a whole lot more punishment.