Tony dixon

[tonydixo]

My wife has psp and is falling down 2 a day in am having a terrible time trying to get her up my back is always hurting me can you get everything to help you

[Heady]

Hi Tony, get your OT in, or the Physio, to teach you how to get her up. I never lift S, (couldn't!). He has to get up by himself, I tell him what to do, hold him in places, but I never lift! Basically I get him to lie on the floor, roll over on to his stomach, then get up onto his knees, then push up on to a chair or something. Try practicing, when the pressure of a fall, is not on you!!!

Lots of love

Heady

[jillannf6 in reply to Heady]

i AGREE

I HAVE PSP AND CANNOT GET UP SOMETIMES = MY PARTNER IS HURTING HIMSELF WHEN HE HAS TO HELP ME UP (I FALL APPROX 7 TIMES ON A GOOD DAY AND MORE ON A BAD ONE)

SO I WUD GET THE OT AND PHYSIO ON TO IT ASAP AND GIVE U SOEM HELP `(U CAN GET AN "ELK" WHICH WOUL D HELP IF THERE A RE2 FO YOU OT USE IT)

LOL JILL

PSP PERSON IN THE UK

[NannaB]

Hi Tony, are you in the UK? If you are, speak to the occupational therapist. As Heady said, they will show you the safest ways of helping your wife but there are also aids to help you. There are air cushions called Elk and Camel. We have an Elk. As long as your wife can shuffle on to it, you can then press a button, air goes into it and raises her up to a sitting position. The same with a camel. I used ours daily for a long time. My husband can no longer shuffle onto it, so on the rare occasion that he falls now, I call for an ambulance and the paramedics use our Elk to get him up. The paramedics always say, never lift him alone and they don't mind how many times I call them. My husband had to go into a home for 2 weeks when I strained my back and I never want that to happen again. We, as carers, must do all we can to avoid sickness or injury if we want to keep our loved ones at home.

Take care.

Nanna B

[tonydixo in reply to NannaB]

Thank you

[abirke in reply to NannaB]

Can you show me an Elk? or what company....Ive never heard of it and wonder if its UK only

AVB

[NannaB in reply to abirke]

If you go to Utube and put in "lifting a fallen person with one handler" there are several video's showing you how it works. It's made by Mangar international so I would think it is available elsewhere as well. They are very expensive but in the UK they are loaned to us.

I hope you find the videos.

X

[abirke in reply to NannaB]

Thanks NB

[Yvonneandgeorge]

Hi Tony the OT brought us an Elk it is east to use, and I have got George up of the floor by myself with the Elk, it is amazing. I hurt all my back and shoulder trying to get him up of the floor, he can not get up by himself, he does not get how to do it, so the Elk was a god send. Yvonne

[Doglinton]

I do exactly how Heady describes it to help him up. When that doesn't work I have been given a camel. Its like an elk but cradles the patient. I am really careful about my back because if it goes you are out of action for so long.

Having an elk or camel saves the stress and anxiety .

Jean x

[tonydixo in reply to Doglinton]

THANK YOU

[tonydixo in reply to Doglinton]

Thank you

[tonydixo in reply to Doglinton]

Thank you

[jillannf6]

HI

IS IT POSSIBLE OT OPERATE THE ELK OR CAMEL WITH 1 PERSON ONLY?

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU KEEP IT IN THE HOUSE AS I CAN FALLL OVER IN THE KITCHEN/ DRAWING ROOM/ BATHROOM OR BEDROOM OR HALL AND EACH IS A DIFFERENT DISTANCE FROM THE OTHER

I SHOULD TRY 1 I KNOW AS IT WOULD SAVE MHY PARTNERS BACK AND ELBOWS QHWEN TYRIGN TO GET ME UP

LOL JILL

XXXX

[Doglinton in reply to jillannf6]

Yes. Only one person is needed. You keep it charged up. Then you can take the camel where ever it is needed.

Jean x

[showaddy]

It might be worth seeing if your area has a 'falls team'. The team is called out when I press the button on the machine attached to the telephone line. Steve is 19stone so wouldn't be able to use an elk one handed as he is very heavy. However 2 ladies come when needed and its the best £4.20 I spend per week. Well work investigating if your council has a carephone service.

[Yvonneandgeorge]

Never heard of this, we have an alarm the we can press, but they don't come out, they ask you if you are ok, and then tell you to call an ambulance, were are you?

Yvonne xxxx

[abirke]

1Walker

2) assistance as soon as she stands up to when she sits back down; The closer you are to her, the more control you have

3)a stabilizer belt. this is to be worn by the patient at all times if they will be walking or upright. You hold the belt from behind and it is AMAZING how much control you will have.

4) use wheelchair when you can.

5) constant reminder to to use walker properly and to walk in marching motion so as to pick foot up and to carry foot heel- to- toe.

6) This should be NO. 1 but make sure there is nothing in her way. from coffetables (get rid of it) to plants, to pets (they'll get theriselves out of the way [they're smart]

Just sort of close your eyes and walk and see what you find a hindrance....

7)Medicine be aware of what makes her loopy.....

===When picking her up, let her get up to her knees. give her a small stable object to hold on to . KNEE AND ELBOW PADS WORK WONDERS (SAME FOR HELMET)! Then like lift ing up a box, get her hands on your shoulders and squat down and lift. MAKE SURE SHE HAS A PLACE TO IMMEDIATELY GO like a chair or some other higher object that will stabilize her once she is standing

Make sure she doesn't try to help her self up using a door or even her walker as anything movable is dangerous....

Well thats all I got

Good luck......

AVB