What are the best techniques to assist an obese person who has fallen to rise?

[SujiwanKenobee]

Hi,

I've been looking all over the internet for information, but can only find out about fall prevention.

My Mom (74) is dealing with a lot of physical issues that include diabetes, kidney failure, congestive heart failure and swelling of the lower legs from lymph system destruction. She has become basically a chair potato and has gained a great deal of weight despite the fact that she eats sparingly--around 280 pounds.

She has started to have problems with balance and she's weak from a recent hospital stay. Despite using a walker, she fell on the way to her bedroom--probably in the hallway. It took 6 people working together to get her up, according to my Dad.

Once she is down, it is really hard to get her back to her feet and it doesn't help that she has shoulder problems and very little strength to help herself.

What is the best way to help someone in this situation to rise from a position on the floor to standing again?

Thanks,

[elleng]

1. Did you observe how she was cared for in hospital?

Your home care should probably be similar to theirs, involving regular professional care.

In addition to other things, check with local Hospice services for help and advice.

Good luck.

[frogcycle]

2. You need to talk someone trained for this

I met a lot of very knowledgeable and skilled people as my dad aged. They have answers to this stuff; can demo and coach you.

Check in to whether she is entitled to medicare-funded physical rehab those are the people who know. They teach stuff like putting on shoes with a long-handled shoe tongue, picking up stuff using the "golfers stance" etc. They can get you good answers. call a local hospital and ask for names.

[madrchsod]

3. she needs a lift/sling

my wife works at a facility that takes care of people who are bedridden and basically can not assist in their movement. they use two people and a lift to lift them into a wheel chair move them to bathrooms and dining room.
depending where you are there should be an organization that can help you assist your dad and mom with her problems. my wife is`t here at this time but i will ask her what actually they use. the biggest problem is that most if not all houses are not built with wide enough hallways and doors..

[auntsue]

4. I'm about the same size and have knee and back issues

I am VERY careful not to do anything that might lead to a fall.
No sudden moves, stand - wait - then walk. Always have something for support (walker, cane, wall etc)
If down i can get up if I can get across a foot stool then push up from there.
My 90 year old mom had surgery and was very waek after - we harassed until she got home based physical therapy to help her because she wasn't able to pull up from the toilet - even with a walker. aftr a few weeks she got much better.
I go to PT now because my legs got pretty weak.
Best wishes !

[tpsbmam]

5. You've gotten very good advice about care......in addition, the

same professionals who work with you in rehab (hospital-based or free-standing) can either do a home safety evaluation or set you up with an organization that does the evaluations. It's primarily done by occupational therapists -- they'll survey the home, your mother functioning in her own environment and make safety recommendations. They need to know she's fallen and what the ensuing problems have been. I strongly urge getting this done ASAP. Not only did I work in hospitals for years (in rehab), I have my own personal experience.

My father had multiple health problems that included mitral valve replacement (heart surgery) that required lifelong coumadin (blood thinners), 2 strokes associated with the valve replacement (he recovered pretty well from both) and then Parkinson's disease. I was working in rehab at a hospital in Chicago and my parents were in New England. I kept hearing about falls and dangerous things they were doing. I BEGGED my mother to get a home safety evaluation and explained it to her in detail, explaining it was not only for Dad's safety but also to make Mom's life easier because they'd teach them techniques to make both of their lives easier (and would provide tools to help). Mom was very private and strong-willed. Once he fell near a window and put his hand & forearm through a window -- he could have frigging bled to death (blood thinners) but fortunately a cop friend was there and controlled the bleeding well enough 'til the ambulance got there.

So on one phone call I heard that he'd again fallen I was PISSED!! Mom worked her ass off taking care of him and mostly did very well (and got lots of props from me), but not when it came to this. I finally said to Mom, "PLEASE, get the home safety evaluation. It's only going to take one fall for him to break his damn hip and then you really have a problem!" Two days later he fell and broke his hip. In the long-run, it was the best thing that could have happened to him. He got hospitalized, the break wasn't too bad, and he got sent to rehab! Hallelujah!! Best thing ever. Mom was finally listening to me. She had a history of protecting Dad and throwing people out of his hospital room. (OY!!) I told her what to expect in rehab and insisted she let ALL of the professionals do their jobs. She did. And she finally allowed the freaking home safety eval I'd been begging for for 2 years! She then got what I was saying. Parents....sheesh! (When she was dying she only trusted me to do the toughest part of her care -- by then she finally accepted that I was no longer her little girl and was a talented, competent professional with lots of experience in rehab and a freaking Ph.D. as well.)

Don't wait for a broken hip -- get rehab and a home safety eval before your Mom has more problems because she's fallen and broken something, ends up with a closed head injury, etc.