Home caring?

[_gvis-8]

I had a chat to my sister about what is waiting for us/her... I would like to keep on looking after her till the end. She feels that it might be to much for me. What medical equipment do we need to have if we go the home caring way? Things that can make it easier for me? In South Africa there is no government subsidies or help. My sister doesn't have a money issue but we still need to look at it in a monetary way.

I would really like your input..

[Kevin_1]

A hospital type bed is fairly essential.  Raising it up helps with transfers onto wheelchairs and commodes etc. Additionally a proper clinical mattress helps prevent bedsores later.  We went for an Invacare one which is a decent standard and the castellated mattress is very comfortable.

At some point a hoist might be helpful, but I will bow to others here on that one as we are not at that stage and have little experience of them.

So:

Wheelchair (Invacare is the NHS standard for home issue)

Clinical Bed and Mattress

Commode.

All the best

[Kevin_1 in reply to Kevin_1]

Oh, re wheelchairs - we got a cheap one and only after we got a decent one did we realise just how much more comfortable it was as well as easier to push with its non inflatable wheels.

Don't forget the wheelchair cushion - they make a huge difference to comfort.

[Amilazy]

Besides the equipment you ought to consider adaptations to the house to make moving around easier, such as widen internal doors to make moving wheel chairs or wheeled commodes, hard flooring makes moving chairs and patients easier.  Wet room rather than shower cubicles or baths makes it easier to care for the patient. These are some ideas but best get advice from an Occupational Therapist, OT, on the adaptions and builders with experience.  

Consider a recliner chair for day sitting so not in bed all day.

Best of luck Tim

[toyota11]

From my experience home care is viable until your patient becomes non weight bearing. After that you need much more complicated and expensive equipment. Hoists supportive wheelchairs, wheelchair vehicle, all expenaive if not financially  supported. Peter.

[Noella21]

we started with a reclining lift chair and a walker and a electric scooter and a pole in the shower. later we got a wheelchair. We wish now that we had gotten a tilt in space one because now we are at that stage where when we go out for the day it is too long for R to sit in one position all day and he can not transfer from the wheel chair without a lift. We do have a wheel chair van and we can go out for day trips if we have more comfortable tilting chair. You need to have everything on one floor and hard surfaces are best. Several years later We had to install a porch lift for easy access outside. We lately also added a portable ceiling track lift in the living room by his reclining chair , in the bedroom and in the bathroom between the bath tub and the toilet. Also have a rail on both sides of toilet. It fits over the back of the bowl and has arm rests. you can work on things as they progress and you may not need all this stuff. Every person is different . We already had the beds that can be raised in different positions. We have not needed to widen our doors the regular wheel chair fits a standard door. It may sound over whelming. Take it one step at a time. Just add each item as the need arises. The most important things to begin with are remove rugs they will trip you up and are hard to keep clean with walkers and wheelchair cutting a path in the heavy traffic areas. life is still good we can get out join up with friends at the seniors club to play games and go for coffee etc. I am glad I can have hubby at home with me.

bless you both.

Noella 21