Hoyer pep talk?

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Please let us know how you go, don't be put off if the first few times are not so easy. I could settle Chris in a way that kept him comfortable all night.
Another thing is that when we started we didn't use it exclusively. At first I only used it to get Chris into bed at night. He was good with most transfers during the day, and as he progressed we just increased using the hoyer for more types of transfers.

So you can ease into it too, it's not one or the other 💚
 
Nona, I was so nervous about using the hoyer and kept it in the garage. But after I could no longer safely pivot my PALS, I had to learn. I only have myself. At first it took a long time, frustrating both of us. After a few weeks it was easy. I have even used it at night in the dark. We have several slings, but only use one: Liko hygiene. It has nothing that goes under the PALS bottom allowing me to remove it entirely when he showers, toilets, transfers to the wheelchair, bed. I am not able to put the larger sling under my PALS. Good luck. As with everything, it just takes getting used to and you’ll wonder why you waited so long. By the way, no special strength is required. I’m an out-of-shape 74 year old. Leslie
 
Leslie makes a good point -- most of us use/used a "divided leg" or "U sling" that has nothing under the bottom. The others are usually not helpful. It is also important to have the right size, which may change as weight does.
 
Update : Thank you all for coaching us through this. It is going very well, thanks in large part to the OT, who has made herself available numerous times to train caregivers. My stepmother nailed it this morning, by herself! It was more comfortable for both of us than the stand pivot. I think it was a confidence booster and hopefully will ease her stress.

The hoyer also came to the rescue last week when I was having a long and painful battle with constipation. After two hours (no joke) on the toilet, I wasn't finished but couldn't hold myself up any longer and felt faint from the bowel pain. Luckily we had just trained with the hoyer so my caregiver got the u-sling around me and hoisted me up. Not only did it greatly relieve my body, especially my legs, but the repositioning got my bowels moving and we started laughing at our "ready, aim, fire" strategy. It took the better part of another hour but I was finally empty and cleanup was a breeze.

So the hoyer will be fine and I encourage anyone who reads this thread to take the plunge.
 
this is great to hear Nona - it does take a little practice but it really is the best equipment for everyone!
It's good to also have wrapup comments after questions are asked - so helpful for everyone in the future reading.
I don't know what I'd have done without our OT that was willing to take plenty of time for training.
 
So Jessie ( and gang), am I correct to understand from this discussion and experience that one person can use the hoyer to put me on a bedside commode? And that person would not neceeessarily need to be strong enough to complete a traditional transfer from pwc to commode? Like my 78 year old friend and mother?
 
Correct. Especially if you get a power lift. the manual doesn’t require the strength of a transfer but if there are multiple transfers a day it can be tiring. The lifts are more technique than strength
 
Oh yes Cathy - I'm just barely 5' tall and I used the hoyer easily on my own. If you are taught how to use it and then are methodical it takes no real body strength. The hospital bed height can be adjusted as well for sorting all the positioning and removing of the sling, then raised to the height the PALS likes the bed to be.
Honestly, it was the most amazing piece of empowering equipment for both of us as I could position Chris perfectly with it, and he could move from one place to another feeling safe and comfortable.
 
Cathy, my stepmother is very skinny and weighs less than I do. The OT said that if she feels like something is taking a lot of effort (with the hoyer), then we're doing something wrong. The whole purpose is to minimize effort for safe transfers. I did find that for transferring to my commode and wheelchair that I have to remind people to push my knees so I sit all the way back. This can be done with one hand while the other uses the control to lower. I got the power hoyer from the local ALSA closet.
 
Epiphany!
You all have helped me to solve the problem of how others (78 year old mother, friends) will be able to assist my toileting needs during the hours when aides are not here and my husband arrives home from work. Now, my son is doing the transfer with my older friends assisting with pants, cleaning, and bucket disposal. But he is graduating in two weeks and we all are hopeful he can move out to his own place once he finds a job (and the job may be quite a distance). My support group of friends are helpful but older and not able or willing to transfer.
So what I need is a U-sling, correct? I have a hoyer sitting in the garage with a sling but I don't think it can be used for toileting. Both the lift and my PWC donn't fit in either bathroom, so we are just storing it until we figure out how it can help us.
PT or OT can assist us, as Jessie indicated, right?
Feeling positive now!
 
Cathy, OT helped me. I was able to find a couple different slings on ebay. Uslings, aka hygiene, and mesh for easy washing and quick drying.
 
Yes, a U sling or divided leg sling are used somewhat interchangeably. Best material is mesh for quick drying/ventilation. If you have a shower/commode chair or bucket, you don't need to take the Hoyer into the bathroom, can use it in a bedroom or hall or wherever works.
 
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I used a lift and sling to move my pals from the bed/chair to the shower/commode chair and then rolled him into the bathroom. I installed a bidet for cleaning. It worked very well.
 
Several have mentioned OT helping. Do you mean they actually come to your home? How nice. Are they part of your Clinic? Ours don’t make house calls.

Betty
 
I'm in Australia and realise how lucky we are here. The funding package my husband had for helping care for him was able to pay an OT, and yes she came to the house. The primary role of an OT in Australia is to work with a person in their living or working space, not sure how that could be done if they don't come there physically.
Our OT ordered each piece of major equipment, then was here to receive it, make sure it was right, and train in how to use it correctly.

I realise we are very fortunate with our health care here.
 
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