Getting into Bed

[WirelessPaul]

Just wondering if anyone has found a good way to help their partner get into bed. Susan's Alzheimer's has centred on the inability to do physical things and now it seems she has difficulty in getting into bed sometimes and this will only get worse I think. So far this has only been a problem a couple of times but any hints would be welcome.
Thanks

 

[Grannie G]

Hello WirelessPaul

The only way which helped us was to get my husband to stand with his back to the bed and try to get him to move backwards until the backs of his legs touched the bed. Then he would sit on the bed and I would lift his legs up on to the bed so he could lie down.

It was very hit and miss and sometimes he would end up diagonally across the bed, other timed he would be half way down the bed but it was the best we could do.

Then I would have to try to find room for myself.

Good luck.

 

[lin1]

Hi
I used to do similar to Sylvia with my mum .

I would back mum up to the bed, this may sound strange but I did this from her side, you might find it easier supporting your wife from the front, also you can sit her down much easier if you are in front of your wife.
Fortunately my mum would sit down when she felt the bed touch the back of her legs.

Once mum had sat down, Whilst my arm was around her back hand under her armpit furthest away from me, I would lift her legs and swivel her round.
YOU NEED to be careful of YOUR back though.
ALSO it is possible to cause shearing of your wife's skin

When I received amongst other things a Hospital bed and a slide sheet, it made things a lot easier for me.
The hospital bed was brill, I could adjust its height so that it was at the right height to get mum in and out of bed, the right to make the bed, turn mum, massage her and hoover under the bed.
Mums would nearly turn into a chair.

You can get the above and more on loan from the NHS loan store
If your wife has visits from a Community/district nurse , they can suggest and order equipment.

If no community/district nurse visits, then DO speak to the GP as they can arrange for someone to come out and do an assessments for the equipment that you may need to help you.
My apologies if you already know this.

Hope this helps

 

[nitram]

Agree about the slide sheet making things easier.

If you haven't got a hospital bed and can't adjust the height you can use a simple wooden platform so that when Susan stands on it the bed height is at the back of her knees. It helps if you can find some marker so that when she sits on the bed and is swivelled round she is in the correct position in the bed.

You can improvise for a slide sheet by getting a strong bin liner, putting talc in it, holding it closed, giving it a good shake and then smoothing it flat.

 

[WirelessPaul]

Thank you for those helpful replies
Paul