Sara Steady or Hoist

[trus]

Hiya,

We are caring for my MIL who lives with us. She is 90 and in the last stage of dementia.
We have carers coming in to help 3 times a day.
We have now have two camps, one team uses hoist and the other insists that she is still ok for Sara Steady.
We used Sara Steady with my husband and a third person and MIL really needed quite a push to get up from us and barely can stand without the pads under her. She can maybe last a few seconds on a bad day and slightly more seconds on another.
MILs one side is extremely weak and she has barely any use of her left hand. This was the reason one team switched to hoist use. And, also, one day she stood up with help and started titling forward over the rail. She also tilts sideways sometimes.
I am torn between wishing MIL to have some kind of exercise but also safety and our backs sake.
Her legs are so jammed together it's difficult to spread them apart when using Sara Steady, so she has a sturdy base for her balance.
She also curls up into fetal position more and more when sleeping and sitting (writers clenched etc)
It might come to me having a final say as to what the carers use if we have 50/50 opinion. What do you guys think?

 

[nitram]

What do you guys think?

Ere on the side of her safety.
Ask an OT for an opinion.

 

[Tracy ann]

Hiya,

We are caring for my MIL who lives with us. She is 90 and in the last stage of dementia.
We have carers coming in to help 3 times a day.
We have now have two camps, one team uses hoist and the other insists that she is still ok for Sara Steady.
We used Sara Steady with my husband and a third person and MIL really needed quite a push to get up from us and barely can stand without the pads under her. She can maybe last a few seconds on a bad day and slightly more seconds on another.
MILs one side is extremely weak and she has barely any use of her left hand. This was the reason one team switched to hoist use. And, also, one day she stood up with help and started titling forward over the rail. She also tilts sideways sometimes.
I am torn between wishing MIL to have some kind of exercise but also safety and our backs sake.
Her legs are so jammed together it's difficult to spread them apart when using Sara Steady, so she has a sturdy base for her balance.
She also curls up into fetal position more and more when sleeping and sitting (writers clenched etc)
It might come to me having a final say as to what the carers use if we have 50/50 opinion. What do you guys think?

It's hard my mum uses a Sara sturdy and it's had work but a hoist freaks her out so we're trying hard to cope. Definitely ask the ot what they think xxxx

 

[Gosling]

Hello @trus and firstly welcome to this friendly and supportive forum. There is a wealth of shared experience of dementia here so I am glad you have found us.
A hoist certainly also freaked my late Mum out... she would swear like a trooper and really shout at the carers.
I would certainly agree with others and ask what the OT thinks and advises. Your Mum in Law's safety is paramount.

 

[trus]

Thanks for your replies all. I had a chat with the OT right before Xmas and she said she would request a physio assessment, as if it's not her that makes the decision? The assessment was really not on the subject of hoist vs Sara Steady but rather standing hoist vs full body hoist (we have the latter at home at the moment).
MIL actually is incredible vocal when Sara Steady used, she whimps and cries out for help, some days more than others. The Sara Steady carer team ended up actually using hoist this morning as she was too weak but see they used Sara Steady at lunch wuth a good push to get her up and check her pad.

 

[helpingpeggy]

Hello @trus, this type of assessment is my day job. It sounds as if the Sara Stedy is no longer safe or comfortable for your MIL. The fact that it takes 3 people and/or a “good push” to help get into a standing position and that her legs are very tight really sounds alarming. I also feel that a standing hoist would simply drag her up and also be very uncomfortable. A full hoist with a supportive sling is needed. Happy to advise further if you’d like. There are positioning aids for when she is in bed to support her and reduce the rigidity that results in the foetal position too.

 

[trus]

Hello @trus, this type of assessment is my day job. It sounds as if the Sara Stedy is no longer safe or comfortable for your MIL. The fact that it takes 3 people and/or a “good push” to help get into a standing position and that her legs are very tight really sounds alarming. I also feel that a standing hoist would simply drag her up and also be very uncomfortable. A full hoist with a supportive sling is needed. Happy to advise further if you’d like. There are positioning aids for when she is in bed to support her and reduce the rigidity that results in the foetal position too.

Hiya, thanks a lot for your imput. I tried to get in touch with the OT but don't think she was working last week.
MIL definitely cannot lift herself up with Sara Steady and get grip in one arm is very limited too. We have been having a bit of variability in her mobility in the last 6 months and even when she was in hospital back in summer they used to use either hoist when she is too weak or Sara Steady.
Thank you for your input, I will get hold of the OT and have a chat in the new year, will see if we can get the Sara Steady taken away so carers don't use it then. I watched carers trying to get her out of bed yesterday from bed and one carer had to really lean forward to get my MILs body slightly more upright so she could actually get hold of the rail. I wonder how on earth they don't break their backs doing this.
I will enquire about the aids for the contractures too. Thanks

 

[helpingpeggy]

Hiya, thanks a lot for your imput. I tried to get in touch with the OT but don't think she was working last week.
MIL definitely cannot lift herself up with Sara Steady and get grip in one arm is very limited too. We have been having a bit of variability in her mobility in the last 6 months and even when she was in hospital back in summer they used to use either hoist when she is too weak or Sara Steady.
Thank you for your input, I will get hold of the OT and have a chat in the new year, will see if we can get the Sara Steady taken away so carers don't use it then. I watched carers trying to get her out of bed yesterday from bed and one carer had to really lean forward to get my MILs body slightly more upright so she could actually get hold of the rail. I wonder how on earth they don't break their backs doing this.
I will enquire about the aids for the contractures too. Thanks

I’m pleased to be able to help