If you end up opting for a riser recliner type and the person you are buying the riser recliner chair for has had a stroke, don't forget to mention it as it will exempt you from VAT.
Help leaning problem is getting worse
- Thread starter NanLorac
- Start date
I also get VAT exemption for Bill. His advanced dementia has been accepted whenever I put that down as the reason for asking for exemption.
Carol I use the wheelchair whenever I know we will be in a shop a long time. Funnily enough we were in a furniture shop last weekend and I had to sit him at a dining table and run out to the car to get the wheelchair!
It's the riser part of the big chair that is important for us. I can't leave Bill alone for even 2 minutes with the recliner bit up! He's never left alone in that position. The riser us helping to save my back as helping him to stand was becoming difficult.
Good luck.
Carol I use the wheelchair whenever I know we will be in a shop a long time. Funnily enough we were in a furniture shop last weekend and I had to sit him at a dining table and run out to the car to get the wheelchair!
It's the riser part of the big chair that is important for us. I can't leave Bill alone for even 2 minutes with the recliner bit up! He's never left alone in that position. The riser us helping to save my back as helping him to stand was becoming difficult.
Good luck.
Thanks Izzy, I think it was your thread about Bill that I found out about the vat. Cam might need a riser recliner chair eventually but he's only 65 and can get up from sitting no problem.
Selina, the doctor says that he has not had a stroke. He got up on the 11th September leaning to the right. Nothing showing on his face no weakness in his limbs just the leaning. He has never been constipated but his bowel screening showed blood in October and he is going for a colonoscopy next Sunday.
He bumps into everything and is getting a rounded back because he also walks with his head down. We went to the hospital about his cataracts on Tuesday and he did not know any of the letters. They tried the test for kids but he could not do that as well. His eyes are healthy and the cataracts are in the early stages and are not causing the problem with his eyes. When I said that he walks looking down at his feet the doctor said "we'll then he must be able to see them". That was the good news.
Selina, the doctor says that he has not had a stroke. He got up on the 11th September leaning to the right. Nothing showing on his face no weakness in his limbs just the leaning. He has never been constipated but his bowel screening showed blood in October and he is going for a colonoscopy next Sunday.
He bumps into everything and is getting a rounded back because he also walks with his head down. We went to the hospital about his cataracts on Tuesday and he did not know any of the letters. They tried the test for kids but he could not do that as well. His eyes are healthy and the cataracts are in the early stages and are not causing the problem with his eyes. When I said that he walks looking down at his feet the doctor said "we'll then he must be able to see them". That was the good news.
You do have your hands full. Yes, that sort of chair with sides that are high - that's the thing that will help if he should really need to rest in that leaning position.
As for walking around the store, there are rollator walkers that he could push til he gets tired (it would stabilize the walk) and then he could sit in it. We got one of these for my mother when she was still ambulatory. We called it her "hot rod" and made a big fuss about it wherever we went with her. It worked wonderfully well for her. Maybe a man might not like it, but it might help you help him get exercise.
And what are you doing for yourself that helps *you* remain *you*? You sound like such a loving person. What things do you do to love yourself, in all this?
As for walking around the store, there are rollator walkers that he could push til he gets tired (it would stabilize the walk) and then he could sit in it. We got one of these for my mother when she was still ambulatory. We called it her "hot rod" and made a big fuss about it wherever we went with her. It worked wonderfully well for her. Maybe a man might not like it, but it might help you help him get exercise.
And what are you doing for yourself that helps *you* remain *you*? You sound like such a loving person. What things do you do to love yourself, in all this?
Thanks CJ, I don't know who I am any more other than a full time carer. My husband attends lots of activities and I am introduced as the person to go to for information, that's me, I love helping.
Talking to my sister today walking sticks and tripod walkers on wheels was what we came up with too.
It might be enough to help him to stay upright while walking
Carol x.
Talking to my sister today walking sticks and tripod walkers on wheels was what we came up with too.
It might be enough to help him to stay upright while walkingCarol x.
Thanks CJ, I don't know who I am any more other than a full time carer. My husband attends lots of activities and I am introduced as the person to go to for information, that's me, I love helping.
Talking to my sister today walking sticks and tripod walkers on wheels was what we came up with too.
Carol x.
This is the model of walker we used for my mother. I see it's on sale, but here in the U.S. I'm not sure it would be strong enough to support more than 170 pounds or so.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/ka...3411&sst=a513a575-c697-4abb-a0e5-57034d5d7d69
The walker - whether three or four wheels - will help him. If he can get over the idea that he is using something like this, he'll find it actually gives him a feeling of dignity not to have to hang on someone's arm. Could this be the beginning of osteoporosis, or is the bending and leaning entirely down to the dementia?
You are a lovely person. Remarkably resilient.
Posterior Cortical Atrophy
I can update this thread now.
I did a course through Futurelearn.com called Many Faces of Dementia a couple of months ago. On the last week they showed PCA and it struck me, this is my husband.
He had an appointment with the consultant today about Myoclonic Jerks causing pain in his upper arm. It turns out the pain is because he holds the arm ridged and the drug (Clonazepam) is holding off the jerks quite well. I have to give him painkillers to help with the pain.
The consultant then checked his spatial awareness and he failed every test. The leaning he observed as I walked my husband in so I explained about this leaning been there since September. He asked had I ever heard of PCA and I told him about the course. My husband has PCA and severe spatial awareness.
We also talked about the wheelchair I hardly use. I have been trying to keep my husband walking as much as I can. The consultant is getting the OT from the hospital to get in touch with me about a more suitable wheelchair to support my husband better and I have to use it and stop taking all his weight on my body.
I can update this thread now.
I did a course through Futurelearn.com called Many Faces of Dementia a couple of months ago. On the last week they showed PCA and it struck me, this is my husband.
He had an appointment with the consultant today about Myoclonic Jerks causing pain in his upper arm. It turns out the pain is because he holds the arm ridged and the drug (Clonazepam) is holding off the jerks quite well. I have to give him painkillers to help with the pain.
The consultant then checked his spatial awareness and he failed every test. The leaning he observed as I walked my husband in so I explained about this leaning been there since September. He asked had I ever heard of PCA and I told him about the course. My husband has PCA and severe spatial awareness.
We also talked about the wheelchair I hardly use. I have been trying to keep my husband walking as much as I can. The consultant is getting the OT from the hospital to get in touch with me about a more suitable wheelchair to support my husband better and I have to use it and stop taking all his weight on my body.
Hi Nanlorac, I'm sorry to hear about your husband's PCA. It is unfortunately common for the medics to fail to diagnose PCA. He must have been showing a whole range of spatial problems for years, probably prior to his Alzheimer's diagnosis.
My wife has early stage PCA and we have found the PCA support group and information from UCL via http://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/pcasupport to be very useful. You may have already found this since you did UCL's recent FutureLearn course. Depending on where you are, there may be a support group not too far away.
It is also well worth getting access to the closed Facebook group which is referenced on those pages. Other PCA carers can then answer your specific questions about handling issues such as leaning.
Sent from my iPad using Talking Point
My wife has early stage PCA and we have found the PCA support group and information from UCL via http://www.ucl.ac.uk/drc/pcasupport to be very useful. You may have already found this since you did UCL's recent FutureLearn course. Depending on where you are, there may be a support group not too far away.
It is also well worth getting access to the closed Facebook group which is referenced on those pages. Other PCA carers can then answer your specific questions about handling issues such as leaning.
Sent from my iPad using Talking Point
