New stage

[Wendy C]

Hi. My Mom has just started to lean to the right and lean forward quite a bit. When I am with her I am constantly having to encourage her to sit back, she also has to be propped up with cushions. The home have ordered a special wheelchair, but there is a 12 month waiting list. Has anyone else experience this leaning stage please? I know its part of the alzheimers disease, but wondered how bad it would get. Thank you..

 

[Otiruz]

Hi. My Mom has just started to lean to the right and lean forward quite a bit. When I am with her I am constantly having to encourage her to sit back, she also has to be propped up with cushions. The home have ordered a special wheelchair, but there is a 12 month waiting list. Has anyone else experience this leaning stage please? I know its part of the alzheimers disease, but wondered how bad it would get. Thank you..

Hello Wendy C - your post has made me think my own mum is beginning to exhibit this leaning forwards stance. This has come on quite recently and is more noticeable now she is walking (shuffling) with a frame - the carers and I encourage her to look up but she constantly bends and looks down. I'm sorry your mom seems to have this in a more severe form. I know you are not using it at the moment but can you explain how the wheelchair helps?

 

[stanleypj]

Sometimes it comes and goes. My wife can be tilting to one side for a while then tilting to the other. But, so far, none of this has been permanent.

I think the wheelchairs work by having contoured back and seat cushions that help to keep a person straight but I imagine they would only be able to help someone whose tilting is not very pronounced. There are wheelchairs chest straps that can stop someone leaning forward too far.

I'm horrified that anyone has to wait 12 months for a suitable chair. That's outrageous.

 

[Kjn]

My dads same , been like it a while now. He had some physio to get him more upright. But ..???. Gets In such a rush to get anywhere..

 

[Jbob]

Hi WendyC
My Dad has been like this for a while. He hardly stands up straightand looks down constantly when walking. He had a fall off the kerb as he leans to the right. He fractured and bruised himself down his right side as he didn't know how to put his hands out.
Watch her for falls. He sits like it too in the car/chair and when hd feels unwell hd leans forward. Hope this helps? ☺

 

[Otiruz]

Sometimes it comes and goes. My wife can be tilting to one side for a while then tilting to the other. But, so far, none of this has been permanent.

I think the wheelchairs work by having contoured back and seat cushions that help to keep a person straight but I imagine they would only be able to help someone whose tilting is not very pronounced. There are wheelchairs chest straps that can stop someone leaning forward too far.

I'm horrified that anyone has to wait 12 months for a suitable chair. That's outrageous.

Thanks stanleypj - I haven't come across one in the CH where mum is but think I will ask. I agree 12 months is a hideously long time.

 

[carper8]

my husband has had vd for 10 years and in the last few months he has started leaning to one side when sitting and also when walking or shuffling which is what he seems to do. i have also seen him leaning forward in a chair and try to get him upright but he just goes back down in the same position. his mobility now his getting very poor and he his getting very hunched over. when walking he likes to hold on to furniture rather than swing his arms for moving forward

 

[Jbob]

Wendy C how is your Mum getting on? Have you got her the wheelchair yet? ☺

 

[Wendy C]

Wendy C how is your Mum getting on? Have you got her the wheelchair yet? ☺

No wheelchair as yet even though being chased by the Doctor and the home. Not good as Mom leans quite badly now. The wheelchair will support her so that she cant lean to one side or forward.

 

[Wendy C]

I spoke to the home about the leaning and they said its normal in the late stages. Unfortunately Mom no longer walks so spends her time either in a comfy chair or in her normal wheelchair. She has fallen out of her chair as she leans forward and cant sit herself back up. She leans to her right and she no longer uses her right hand, her fingers are all bent into her palm. They have to unfold her fingers of a morning and she is also in the fetal position when they get her up of a morning. I noticed the other day when I put her slippers back on that her toes have all curled under. We don't know if this is uncomfortable as she no longer talks. This disease is so cruel, it has completely taken my Mom from me.

 

[lemonjuice]

No wheelchair as yet even though being chased by the Doctor and the home. Not good as Mom leans quite badly now. The wheelchair will support her so that she cant lean to one side or forward.

Like another poster above my mother has been experiencing this for over 18 months now. A wheelchair really doesn't provide enough support and when Mum first started with this they moved her form a wheelchair to something called a 'Kirton' chair.
She still leans sideways, almost certainly after or during a TIA.
I would definitely be pushing Home/ Drs etc for suitable chairs.
If your father still attempts to stand he will be at risk of falls, so ensure there is a Falls risk assessment in place. Mum has forgotten that she could stand or even lean forward for that matter so that's less of a problem for us.

 

[lemonjuice]

I spoke to the home about the leaning and they said its normal in the late stages. Unfortunately Mom no longer walks so spends her time either in a comfy chair or in her normal wheelchair. She has fallen out of her chair as she leans forward and cant sit herself back up. She leans to her right and she no longer uses her right hand, her fingers are all bent into her palm. They have to unfold her fingers of a morning and she is also in the fetal position when they get her up of a morning. I noticed the other day when I put her slippers back on that her toes have all curled under. We don't know if this is uncomfortable as she no longer talks. This disease is so cruel, it has completely taken my Mom from me.

Oly posting to give you a virtual hug Wendy. Your mother seems to be at a similar stage to mine and because they can't communicate, or in mother's case even show facial expression, it's so difficult to know if they in pain or not.

I know I've said I 'lost' my mother over 2 years ago when even garbled speech went and the ability to show emotion /expression.

 

[Jbob]

WendyC
I hope you get something sorted for your Mum soon they should be doing more for her ☺