My mum is refusing to stand and she fights standing except for first thing in the morning when she gets up. She is frightened when helped to get up and will try her hardest to sit down. She is doubly incontinent which makes this very difficult to change her. A hoist is no good as she will not weight bear in relation to her feet. Can any one suggest any thing that might help?
How can I get my mum to stand
- Thread starter rincewind
- Start date
Hi. My mum was very similar and I believe it's because she was terrified of falling. She associated standing or walking with falling. I hope you are finding TP supportive and I'm sorry things are difficult.
Maybe as you say she gets up first thing in the morning she has forgotten the fear overnight but perhaps gets vertigo which a lot of elderly people do if they get up to quickly, because their blood pressure drops, she then becomes afraid to weight bear for the rest of the day. Just a thought. Does she get up to a sitting position first and then pause for a few moments before standing? This may help. Have you had any advice from a physio or occupational therapist regarding a zimmer frame, your GP could refer her for this.
Best wishes
Sue
Best wishes
Sue
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Sorry to read about your mum.
As regards the continence issue does your mum use a commode ? If so then this would make it easier for you to change her incontinence wear. If you need advice on this send me a private message as I have experience of this in relation to my late mum.
Regards
Paco (former carer)
As regards the continence issue does your mum use a commode ? If so then this would make it easier for you to change her incontinence wear. If you need advice on this send me a private message as I have experience of this in relation to my late mum.
Regards
Paco (former carer)
Hi Rincewind, Welcome to Talking Point (TP).
Do you have an OT? As they will advise on what equipment is available to help you with your mum. Or you maybe need to have an assessment done.
We have problems similar to yours with my MIL. We now have a lifting belt which is a wide padded belt that is adjustable and has a number of loops around it and is a great help for making MIL feel secure when standing. We also have two commodes one upstairs one down. They both wheel over the toilet which is a great help. Through the day we bring the commode to her chair and transfer her on to the commode then wheel her into the toilet. We also have a turning stand which we use all the time to transfer her from commode to chair and vice versa.
She can walk with the aid of a zimmer frame and the lifting belt on and me supporting her but will sometimes have a panic attack and then can't move. I think its all to do with the dementia and forgetting what to do. She had fallen a great number of times in the past before they came to live with us and this seems to have really frightened her. You need to have all the patience in the world and take things very slowly (which sometimes is easier said that done).
The turning stand and lifting belt are absolute godsends as I can now manage MIL on my own when needs must.
Hope this helps. Take care xx
Do you have an OT? As they will advise on what equipment is available to help you with your mum. Or you maybe need to have an assessment done.
We have problems similar to yours with my MIL. We now have a lifting belt which is a wide padded belt that is adjustable and has a number of loops around it and is a great help for making MIL feel secure when standing. We also have two commodes one upstairs one down. They both wheel over the toilet which is a great help. Through the day we bring the commode to her chair and transfer her on to the commode then wheel her into the toilet. We also have a turning stand which we use all the time to transfer her from commode to chair and vice versa.
She can walk with the aid of a zimmer frame and the lifting belt on and me supporting her but will sometimes have a panic attack and then can't move. I think its all to do with the dementia and forgetting what to do. She had fallen a great number of times in the past before they came to live with us and this seems to have really frightened her. You need to have all the patience in the world and take things very slowly (which sometimes is easier said that done).
The turning stand and lifting belt are absolute godsends as I can now manage MIL on my own when needs must.
Hope this helps. Take care xx
thanks for replies
She recently had an OT assessment and the OT was stumped! She has a zimmer but can't use it until she gets up. She says she is not dizzy, also a comode would not help as she wears incontinence pads and therefor needs to be cleaned with wipes before changing as she is not aware of having solied or wet her pad. She is getting a lifting belt next week, hope it will help. Thanks for all your help, I appreciate it , it's wonderful to feel that you are not the only one to have such problems.
She recently had an OT assessment and the OT was stumped! She has a zimmer but can't use it until she gets up. She says she is not dizzy, also a comode would not help as she wears incontinence pads and therefor needs to be cleaned with wipes before changing as she is not aware of having solied or wet her pad. She is getting a lifting belt next week, hope it will help. Thanks for all your help, I appreciate it , it's wonderful to feel that you are not the only one to have such problems.
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My mum could not stand and a commode was invaluable in helping her to change her incontinence wear and clean her at the same time. If you want further advice on this let me know.
Regards
Paco
Regards
Paco
ways and means
this is a common problem and for many reasons. Is she able to communicate to you why she canot stand - it may be a confidence issue or poor muscle control and the PT can helpw ith both. I found an electric chair is the easiest solution as she can be in a standing position with a zimmer or other support in front without stress or worry about hoists. The commode is the best way of cleaning or rolling onto the side in bed - once you've tried it you will udnerstand why everyone is recommending it. hope this helps
this is a common problem and for many reasons. Is she able to communicate to you why she canot stand - it may be a confidence issue or poor muscle control and the PT can helpw ith both. I found an electric chair is the easiest solution as she can be in a standing position with a zimmer or other support in front without stress or worry about hoists. The commode is the best way of cleaning or rolling onto the side in bed - once you've tried it you will udnerstand why everyone is recommending it. hope this helps
I wonder if it is as simple as that the leg muscles have reduced due to not being used. If so, I would have thought that a programme of physiotherapy and leg exercises would bring the muscles back to normal.
