Pollyanna
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2006
- Messages
- 40
- Country
- US
- State
- TX
- City
- Azle
Help! I'm my husband's caregiver and have nobody coming in to help at this time. So far we've been able to stand him up long enough to transfer to the toilet and back to his recliner/lift chair. But this week his legs and arms are so weak, he can no longer stand, so I'm using a Hoyer lift. Getting better at it, but we both hate it. He's about 220 pounds now, and I'm 5 feet tall and weigh 125 pounds. I mention that just so you can picture what we go through each time we have to do a transfer.
Now I have several new problems and am coming to y'all for suggestions because I know you are walking in our shoes!
1. How do I find a person to come in and help us? Is there any financial assistance for this type of care? And how in the world do you schedule such things as toileting? For us, it never happens at the same time of day!
2. How do I change his clothes? It's all I can do just to get his pants down far enough for toileting, and almost more than I can do to get them pulled back up again. Trying to log roll him is just about impossible. He has to have a bath, and we don't have our shower modified yet, so can't roll him in there. Any suggestions? And even if I manage to get him undressed and bathed, how will I ever get fresh clothes on him?
3. It's getting harder for him to manage the fork & spoon for eating, even if I cut everything up, it falls off before he can get it to his mouth. Is there some sort of tray that the base will slide under his chair and that will be higher than 29 inches? That's the best I've come up with so far, but would welcome any tips! Watching him just breaks my heart, and it really bothers him when I have to feed him....he already feels worthless and a burden, and that adds to that feeling, no matter what I say!
Sorry for the long post, but I'm really needing some fresh ideas. I look forward to hearing from you folks....always helpful and truly a blessing in my life!
Thanks,
Pollyanna
Now I have several new problems and am coming to y'all for suggestions because I know you are walking in our shoes!
1. How do I find a person to come in and help us? Is there any financial assistance for this type of care? And how in the world do you schedule such things as toileting? For us, it never happens at the same time of day!
2. How do I change his clothes? It's all I can do just to get his pants down far enough for toileting, and almost more than I can do to get them pulled back up again. Trying to log roll him is just about impossible. He has to have a bath, and we don't have our shower modified yet, so can't roll him in there. Any suggestions? And even if I manage to get him undressed and bathed, how will I ever get fresh clothes on him?
3. It's getting harder for him to manage the fork & spoon for eating, even if I cut everything up, it falls off before he can get it to his mouth. Is there some sort of tray that the base will slide under his chair and that will be higher than 29 inches? That's the best I've come up with so far, but would welcome any tips! Watching him just breaks my heart, and it really bothers him when I have to feed him....he already feels worthless and a burden, and that adds to that feeling, no matter what I say!
Sorry for the long post, but I'm really needing some fresh ideas. I look forward to hearing from you folks....always helpful and truly a blessing in my life!
Thanks,
Pollyanna