My father has PSP and is currently in hospital following an aspiration pnuemonia. He was able to walk around whilst holding someone's hand / arm or a frame before he went in. He has been in hospital 5 weeks and acutally suffered 3 aspiration pnuemonias and now requires a hoist. The hospital have said that my mum and sister cannot be trained to use the hoist and we would have to have carers in for this. Does anybody have experience to the contrary?
Thank you
Sarah
Sadly Sarah this is a fact. He will most probably need 2 carers about four times a day. I don't know how old your Mum is but she will not be able to care for your Dad alone now.
If you need anymore information please post.
Marie x
My mum is only 54 and my sister lives there too and is also my dad's carer. Physically I think they would be able to manage it
I moved Dad with a hoist all the time solo. It's not that big of a deal. His OT came in and gave me a crash course on how to do. For full disclosure I used to move very large objects with a ceiling mounted crane system at my old work. Moving Dad was very similar only smaller 
Ron
Sounds like you may be a young healthy man ~ some of us here are from from that😆
I see there's a post a year back by JulieandRog talking about a "single carer hoist" provided by the CHC...and I believe that means she's in the UK. Possibly, though, she is/was younger at the time than your mum? Would no doubt require a bit of strength and dexterity?
My mum is quite a bit younger than my dad and get and my sister would be perfectly capable of managing a hoist. They both care for my dad together therefore there would be two people there.
I was trained to bathroom a large student solo back in the day🙂 My elderly uncle used to hoist my aunt to the bathroom on his own. It's always nice to have help. I imagine I will want help for my husbasd if possible.
Thank you. We have no problem with having help but my mum and sister still want to remain his primary carers which would not happen if we had to have carers in all the time to operate the hoist
My hubby was able to bear his weight before 5 weeks in hospital with UTI and sepsis. When discharged he had to have carers as he was no longer able to stand and a hoist was required. It is all very well trying to manage a hoist on your own but you do have to think of your own health and the safety aspect. Your mum is the person who needs to keep herself well and hoisting is not as easy as it looks especially when a person is unable to help themselves. I agree with Marie carers would be required. Jxx
I am in the US. My husband was also recently in the hospital . Medicare ordered us a hoyer lift ( hoist) to be delivered. They felt entirely confident I could handle it. The only thing one of the professionals mentioned is that I would having trouble moving it with him in it on carpet. Many of my friends claim to have have used the hoist with no problem . I feel they are cumbersome and placing the sling is not easy. A bit of a struggle , but possible. I was told the hoist would help me from getting hurt trying to move him.
VA has Agreed to let us try an electric Stand Aid, so we have currently denied the lift hoist.
I am 65, 5ft2. My husband is 6ft 1.
Best of luck to you.
Thank you. Their bungalow does not have any stairs and my dad is only 5 foot 2 and 53 kg which will decrease anyway as they are not fitting a peg due to his wishes. I've tried to look online to see if there's anything legal I'm whether it requires carers or family can do it as my sister and mum (54) want to continue being is primary carers and there will be two of then to operate the hoist and they are physically capable in our opinion
I think with two of them they would not have trouble. A friend of ours in the US had a Uncle with PSP. She said everyone got used to using the hoist including her 12 year old son. In the US , some care agency’s require two caregivers, but there are no restrictions for family. I think it is prudent that your mum and sister do it together, at least until they have experience with it. Please let us know your outcome.
In my job I was trained to use a hoist so was capable of using one solo. When they discharged my late husband from hospital with the hoist I had to agree to have carers as well. It was a case of carers or no hoist and he needed the hoist. I allowed the carers to attend him for about a week to ten days. Then I got rid of them.
All I can say is if you have the carers to get the hoist make sure you watch every detail of hoist use before you dismiss them.
It is a legal requirement they say that it has to used by trained staff.... wish is a joke because I trained more then one carer how to use the hoist because most care companies only do basic training and expect the girls to pick the rest up as they go.
Good luck.. Jane xx
Yes I've had to pull a few carers up on how to properly use a hoist as much have just watched a video .
I looked after my husband for four years and I hoisted him either myself or with another family member , my husband was quite a big chap and I'm 5' 2 , if you get shown how to do it properly then you don't need carers, I did eventually have a live in carer with a couple of home care visits but I was still heavily involved and I managed to keep my husband at home until he passed away on January 29th
Dear Evdalley,
I'm sorry we didn't know about your husband's death in January. Your story of caring for him so he could pass at home is inspiring
Take care xxx
Anne G.
hi
We had a ceiling hoist in, what an amazing bit of kit ! It was single carer hoist, i am 5ft nothing and Rog was quite a tall lad and i had no problems. You just press the button and away they go!
Seriously you need a community OT assessment, there are also new single carer slide sheets that remain in situ and make turning very easy, you will need a hospital bed , the hospital should have a complex discharge team, contact them direct.
I think i have got my mojo back a little this morning! It will be nice whilst it lasts!
Julie x
We already have a hospital bed which is good. Thank you for your advice we will try and contact them today.
i learnt how to do it nobody stoped meyou can go on line and it shows you how
You probably don’t want carers pink flamingo, who would? We certainly didn’t!!
But we had too, that was at the time with mum n I doing the caring! Sadly my mum became very ill and my dad is now in a nursing home, the shitty reality of Psp is harsh. Please let us know how you get on x
Thank you. We have another meeting at the hospital on Tuesday so we will see what happens. They are currently adamant that we can't have a hoist without carers x
We have just had a gantry hoist fitted for my husband and I have been taught to use it single handed. It is quite tricky to roll him onto the sling on my own as he is very rigid but it would be no problem for two people!
Jackie x
Thank you. We are in touch with the local carers trust to see what they say.
You can be trained in the community to use hoist and any other equipment. Locally we have a family trainer who is part of the community moving and handling team who comes out. Contact either OT or social worker to ask what/who does this in your area. I also paid for myself to go on a full days course that paid carers have to attend to make sure Mum was being transferred correctly.
If you can get a ceiling hoist they can be operated by one person. Mobile hoists require two if it is paid carers coming in, that is the rules. I can use one alone in emergency but does take longer to do solo and have to very careful.
There is so much equipment out there so I'd ask hospital to arrange a full home assessment of what you need.
You may also need carers in to help as it is alot to take on but there is no reason you cannot use or be trained in the equipment. You care for them 24/7.
Thank you very much. At the moment we are trying to work out a discharge plan with the hospital and they are basically adamant we need carers for a hoist so I am trying to get in touch with the local carers trust for some advice.
Good idea, they should know what is available in community for you. Let us know how you get on
The carers are experienced professionals. My wife has CBD and gets agitated in the hoist. An OT came out and ordered an extra supportive sling. I would never trust myself to hoist her on my own and would never be able to forgive myself if she was injured.
Hi sorry to jump on your reply. Do you know the name of the sling? oT is useless here and need a better sling.
Hi. It is a 'Prism comfort recline Sling' product ref 8E4430 company is Prism medical UK phone no. +44 (0)845 409 2000 ours is a medium size with taped head support. Maximum load 200kg/30 stone. Hope that is helpful. Ken
Thank you
We have a ceiling hoist and I use it myself all the time. I am 73 and have a spinal problems due to cancer. I am in Alberta Canada and we have no such h rules. Do you have a lending up board where you can borrow such equipment? They them here where people donate medical equipment when no longer needed. They do not require you to have a caregiver.
We managed with first a stand aid hoist and then when my wife couldn’t weight bear then a ceiling track hoist was fitted and I could manage by myself but it was easier with two people as you have to roll the person onto a sling .But obviously an extra pair of hands was not available all day long . But it sounds from what you have said that your mum and sister are both there so it shouldn’t be a problem .
Any fit, able and willing person can be trained to use a hoist. I hoisted my husband alone during the day all the time. He had night nurses and although they were all trained to use a hoist, some of them were trained on different hoists and I had to “train” them with ours. It’s easier with two people of course. The care company insisted my husband had two carers so I insisted on being the second carer putting him to bed at night and getting him up in the morning, but during the day I was on my own moving him from bed to chair/wheelchair, commode, back to bed for a nap. It meant the care company lost out on receiving an hourly rate for a second carer but I asked Social Services if I could do it and they said of course I could if I wanted to. My husband felt much happier with me there all the time.
Best wishes
XxxX
Thank you all for your help and advice. We had another meeting at the hospital this week with the discharge team and they have said they will find out what is possible in regards to not needing to have carers for the hoist.
Electronic hoist & Hospice arrived the same day
Nursing home- what to look for in making a choice?
