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nakazono

New member
Joined
Mar 16, 2014
Messages
9
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
01/2011
Country
US
State
CA
City
San Francisco
ALS patients are gradually losing muscle strengths on entire body and it is getting harder in life. I used to have difficulties to get up from my hospital bed because of especially stomach muscle weakness. In general all hospital beds do not raise upper part of the bed more than 75 degrees in angles. However I accomplished the angle to 90 degrees of the bed with using a Genie Motorized Bed Wedge. Now my life is much easier every morning. I would like to share this successful approach.
I bought a Genie Motorized Bed Wedge for my twin size hospital bed, now it is so easy for my caregiver and me.
Installation;
I inserted and strapped with a belt under my hospital bed mattress (twin size).
Operations;
Note: Before raising the upper part of the hospital bed, make sure that your body is already rolled into left side of the hospital bed and your body must be on side position or right side on side position; depend on which side of the bed you use for getting up.
With caregiver' s help, first, he presses a pushbutton for raising upper part of the hospital bed, second, while keep raising upper part and a few minutes later, and he starts pressing a start button for the Genie Motorized Bed Wedge. After these combined operation and your sitting position body will be almost vertical position; 90 degrees so that you could get up easily by yourself.
For making the hospital bed flat; first, make Genie Motorized Bed Wedge flat by pressing a push bottom “Flat” and then a few minutes later, you should make your hospital bed flat.
Mike
 
Thanks Mike, it's great when PALS or CALS come up with tricks to keep a bit more independence for a bit longer!

My Chris could not roll onto his side at all because of breathing (and he wouldn't use a bipap), fortunately he weighed similar weight to myself and I could pivot him to a sitting with legs over the bed position and then he would stand up. We needed a hoist to get into bed however as I could never pivot him into a good position.

I did have to wedge the bed a little in the last weeks as you note hospital beds do not raise the upper body enough for all needs.

Thanks again for sharing :)
 
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