advice on helping Mum to stay upright!

[Hdee]

Hello everyone,

My Mum has become much more rigid recently and it is becoming increasingly difficult to help her straighten. I saw her yesterday and when I went in she was bent over on a chair facing the floor. The carers at the home have been using pillows to wedge next to her to keep her upright but I thought there must be something to buy that helps with this. I’m wondering if any of you have experience with this and what you have used to help?

Thank you, Helen

[Zerachiel]

Hi, If you are in the UK then you can request a seating assessment from the community Occupational Therapist. Contact your county council.

[Hdee in reply to Zerachiel]

thank you Zerachiel!

[LuisRodicioRodicio]

Hi Hdee!

This is our experience:

If physicians agree that there is suspicion of a Parkinson disease (PD) or Parkinson-like neurological disease (PSP-RS, PSP-CBD, PSP-P etc.), then I suggest to start an intensive and systematic exercise program including walking, up and down stairs, speech therapy, etc. as soon as possible, trying to slow down eventual muscle dysfunction. The idea is that the more one uses their muscles the longer they are able to use them. PSP usually affects more on one side of the body than on the other. Logically the disease will progress and the type of gymnastic exercises should adapt and necessarily reduce its intensity.

One easy activity is to go to the pool and walk back and forth across the shallow end of the pool - forwards, backwards, sideways. It really help for a while. It won't work forever, but it'll work for a while. To have one to one hydrotherapy with a neuro-physiotherapist may be a good idea.

Hug and luck.

Luis

[Hdee in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

thank you Luis!

[LuisRodicioRodicio in reply to Hdee]

I have send a note by internal chat.

Hugs

[messier]

Hi there - my mum didn’t land up in that position but she would lean over to the side. The nursing home similarly put pillows around her. I bought a second hand wheeled armchair that tilts back to almost horizontal with a foot rest and that really helps to keep her posture much better. She now finds sitting upright really uncomfortable. The advantage is that the carers can wheel her to the lounge and dining room without all the hassle of moving her into a wheelchair.

[Hdee in reply to messier]

that’s a great idea, thank you!