special chairs

[susan]

Dear all

Long time no posting - sorry life not brill.
Dad had a fall at the weekend and spent 7 hours in A and E. He was sent back to the nursing home - nothing they can do. He has cracked the cap of the hip.
Informed today that he is on 6 weeks non weight bearing - he does very little walking now and caught the home out!
I have questioned today whether it would be beneficial to get a 'special chair' for a special dad - but i don't know where to start.
Do we have to buy it or are there sources out there to assist with funding? Mum only has his pension and although i can contribute it looks like they are around £1000. Does anyone have any suggestions - i would really appreciate it.
Many thanks Sue

 

[Jude]

Dear Sue,

Sorry to hear about your Dad. Falls can be extremely difficult at an advanced age and also make one extremely anxious for the future.

Brucie has just recently bought a chair for Jan. I'm sure he'll answer you very promptly on this issue. Hang on a little. In the meantime, perhaps somebody else has some good information to share?

Jude

 

[Brucie]

Hi Susan

the chair that Jan had was a really good one - but it is expensive!

I did a deal with the care home where they agreed to pay 33% towards if on the basis that, when Jan no longer needs it, they can have it.

You will find details at http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239

The particular chair does cost between £1,000 and £1,800, depending on the material, extras, etc.

It may be that this chair is not appropriate anyway in your case, but it IS very good, and 3 others have been bought by relatives at Jan's home since I bought hers.

 

[susan]

Dear Jude and Brucie
Thank you for the rapid response.
Jude - it was the family that requested he was sent home - the thought of hospital in patient for some one that they can't help was a route we did not want to go down. It was 3 hours waiting for an ambulance to take Dad home again. The fall happened due to his rather active state that day - i visited at 1.00pm he was chatty, although it was as usual garbled. Hadn't been like it for a good month. i actually got a laugh from him although i don't know why - it was lovely.
We are well aware of the risks of falls, but at no time would we want him restricted.
Brucie - thank you for the link page - chair looks lovely - the home suggested a 'kirton' ultima.
Is there a site to access that sells second hand ones - i know that sounds awful but i have to be realistic regarding money.
I would like to thank both of you for the support you give everybody on this site - although i have time to read, i have little time to reply.
Thank you
Sue

 

[Jude]

Dear Sue,

Good luck with the Quest. I'm constantly concerned about either of my parents falling too. They are both 86 and have started to 'shuffle' around a bit now. Broken hips would be a total nightmare.

Last year when I was decorating the bungalow before the oldies moved in, I fell off the step ladder. Despite the padding, I didn't bounce too well, nor did I feel inclined to get up in a great hurry either. I was painting the porch and when I fell, my foot got trapped in the drain. I was extremely lucky not to break my leg!!

A salutory lesson. I'm very careful now.

Best wishes,

Jude

 

[Norman]

Susan
try the Ebay site,they have everything you can think of.
Worth a try
Norman

 

[Chris]

Hip Protectors

Hi Jude

Have you come across Hip Protectors ? these come in all sorts of shapes & sizes - for male & females - they are special pants with pockets in the sides that take inserts that protect the hips in case of falls. They are designed to be worn at night & in day (unless absolutely sure the person doesnt get out of bed during the night). Research has showed they reduce fractures if people fall. Wish i had known about them - may hav esaved Mum 2 hip replacements. What a nightmare those hospital stays were for her - MRS, wandering in the ward etc (Yes ! after the op !!!!).

A trial is being done wiht the Hip Protectors in our area at moment - with day care clients who have dementia. With people who dont have dementia, it is non compliance that is problem - they are not uncomfortable but getting pants up & down is not so easy.

If people can get used to them it can relieve you of one worry at least but if it creates a load of hassle may not be worth it. they cost about £40 a pair & 3 pairs are advised - one to wear , one in wash & one ready to wear. If SS or NHS coudl bulk purchase I dont see why they cant be made available more cheaply - a hip Op costs £12,000 after all.

Several manufacturers make them now & as I said there are different types - the inserts vary in hardness, some are so hard wearing in bed is made almost impossible. ..... nothing is ever simple these days !!! I will post the results of trials in our area when they are made public.

Any one experience of these please ??????

 

[Brucie]

Jan has worn hip protectors for the past three years. They work, though seem a little annoying for her at times.

Actually, they have always been provided for her and I haven't needed to cough up at all for them. Maybe that's part of the Continuing Care or something.

 

[Jude]

Dear Chris,

Thanks for the info on the hip pants. I think I might have zero chance of getting the oldies to wear them though. I bought the parents new coats at Xmas and you should have heard the FUSS about wearing them. My father actually hid his in the bottom of Mum's wardrobe and then told me he'd lost it. Mother complained about the colour being too bright. All new clothes are viewed with such SUSPICION. I have to wait until Dad is in the bathroom shaving before I even attempt to substitute clean ones.

Anyway, I'd still be very interested to hear the trial results. Perhaps later it will come in useful. They are both still pretty mobile on hard surfaces, although they don't pick their feet up too much any more, which is apparently a sign of AD.

Best wishes and thanks,

Jude

 

[Brucie]

It is easy really.

Just tell Dad these are what John Wayne wore, and that's how he walked so manly.

Tell Mum they are what Marilyn Monroe wore and that it'll drive Dad into a frenzy.

 

[Jude]

I shall hold you PERSONALLY responsible for the results.

Jude

 

[Chris]

Sorry Susan - I led this thread astray !!!
{See new thread http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?threadid=689}

My Mum now spends all her time either in bed or sat in a chair - she can just about stand with 2 helping and is then taken to loo etc in a wheelchair. It seems one thing leads to another & now due to amount of time sat in a chair (as opposed to lying on an air mattress) & her age which means thin skin, she is at high risk of pressure sores, especially on her bottom. (I hate that word !!!!).

The staff are being great - very attentive & observant & very aware that once skin breaks in a very elderly person, at pressure point , it rarely heals. If that happened to Mum I'd find it unbearable - everything is so awful now and to know that she would be so uncomfortable for no reason other than the length of time she has been sitting !......... shes had to contend with so much ... I just want her to be comfortable - it doesnt seem much to ask . Aaaagghhhh.

Guilt is taking a hold of me now ... should have i realised this was coming and bought Mum a special chair before now... I knew she had been sliding forward a lot - weve cured that by her having a different chair but shes still sore .

I searched for Kirton Ultima , found webiste & ordered, online, their brochure - it aarrived 36 hours later in hte post this morning. i recognise them - they have just bought a few at a nursing home I visit - the relatives pushed for them & the home paid - but it is an up market place. All other HOmes I know say in the contract that any special equipment has to be provided by resident or their family.

This seems odd to me - if air mattresses are beng provided wihtin the fees then why not special chairs. In a nursig home I suggest a lot of residents are high risk for prssure sores ???? Come to think of it in Mums contract it said weekly hire of air mattresses had to be paid for but we have never been invoiced - either an oversight or they have changed system and have bought them now and not updated the contract.

I reckon the market for second hand chairs like these will grow - at the moment care homes are in a win win situation. As relative are forced to buy these chairs as the residents enter end of life stage of illnesses - what happens after person dies? - many relatives are givng them to the Homes - they are very large items of furntiture & who wants to buy an ex N H chair ? We all lose out once again.

That still leavs me in a quandry - I think Mum needs an Assessment to give a recommendation for her physical support needs in detail - may be there are special air cushions to use in an ordinary chair? Also these £1 - £1500 chairs come in all sort of sizes etc I reckon it should take an OT or Physiotherapist to sort it out - its a lot of money - has to be right.

These special chairs are great but I wonder if there are alternatives that would meet some peoples needs just as well ?

Sorry Susan none of this is helping you - I would make sure your Dad has an air mattress on his bed though (did he have one in hospital - it is comon practice now for all post operation patients & anyone who is not moving themselves in bed - they will have a timetable for being turned every few hours too). Do you have a Disability Centre near you? they may be able to help - I must contact ours in Bristol. Good Luck - please post if you have time if you track down a source of second hand chairs. Your nearest Crossroads Centre may know someone wit one for sale too - ours sometimes has wheelchairs & scooters for sale. What part of the country are you in?

 

[susan]

Dear Chris
Thanks for your info - Dad has been on an air mattress for about 8 months supplied by the home, but only after we pushed for it and he had aquired a nasty bed sore. Can i ask does everyone have to double check their loved ones to ensure the best is being done for them or are there some nursing homes that do their job properly? On Tuesday the manager of the home was totally unaware that dad had had a fall!!!
I have now sorted a 'kirton ultima' for dad without help from the home and hopefully he will have it early next week.
A little worried at the moment, since his fall as all he has done since Tuesday is sleep- he has no way of expessing pain - had to demand the GP visited on Weds to get some pain relief as he was discharged from hospital without anything - feel like i have spent the week head banging especially when the GP was totally disinterested when he did arrive.
Why are there so many professional people dis interested in patients with AD???
That is how it feels at the moment!
Hopefully things will improve over the week end.

Take care Sue

 

[Brucie]

Kirton Ultima

Here's a picture of two of the Kirtons.

The web site is
http://www.kirton-healthcare.co.uk/text pages/Ultima.htm

 

[susan]

Thanks Brucie for the link direct to Kirton - i have had a look and will give them a ring to get prices as the home want us to buy through 'homecare' - what is the situation regarding VAT - do we have to pay it or will dad be exempt?
Thank you for your on going help regards Sue

 

[Brucie]

Susan

Had Jan's home bought her chair then they would have paid VAT.

Because I bought it, I didn't have to pay the VAT.

 

[Chris]

Sleeping

Hello Susan

My Mum has appeared to be sleeping nearly all the time for a couple of weeks now & sometimes shes obviously not asleep as crosses & uncrosses her legs, makes little noises , yawns & repositions herself in the chair & holds her head more erect etc BUT her eyes are constantly closed & whatever you do she doesnt open them - she'll drink & eat from special mug or spoon & still not open her eyes. I'm worried her eyes are sore, infected or something now ! or she could hav edecided to withdraw inot her own world - ant blame her , theres little appropriate stimulation around her - guilt ! guilt! After more than 10 years & so few 'successes' all that time I'm suffering burnout in that respect.

What I meant to say - until the recent episode I had a theory for Mums spells of sleeping (it was really deep sleep at times - hardly able to wake for meals at all) - I reckon this happened followng small strokes. Mum does have vascular dementia . Each time Mums had the periods of excessive tiredness it has taken longer to recover from it - just as reocvery from fulll blown strokes may follow that pattern.

Another reason for sleeping a lot is when someone is in pain - again when Mum had fractured arm, wrist, legs (not all at same time!) we saw this. Paracetemol was the favourite pain killer used - that seemed a bit mild to me but did do the trick. One home mum was in were rather free with the paracetemol & if anyone was off colour for no apparent reason they would try a day or so on it ... I thought that better than just leaving people.

Even when someone cant say if they have a pain, people who are with them 24 hours a day may notice a change which may indicate somenthing is wrong eg appetite not as good, not smiling so much as usual, resisting help with personal care more than usual. Over the 7 years Mum has been in care homes i have over-reacted a lot (thats putting it mildly!!) & these days I do have a bit more confidence in the home - BUT this may be becasue Mum is in a general nursing home now where there are RGNs and all the staff are caring for residents who have very high nursing care needs & there is definitely a medical model of care - as opposed to mental health needs (dementia care units or mental health units may not have the RGNs even if a 'nursing' home as they are providing mental health nursing not general. Some do have RGNs as well.

I reckon a care home is always as good as its manager with the owner or the company if it is a chain having a lot of influence. Have seen this time & time agian - a new manager & everything can change overnight - if for hte worse there'll be a high rate of trunover in staff with all the knock on effects. If a good manager ther ewill be a real family atmosphere with person centred care in evidence where the wishes of residets come first - over home routine etc and you will often more visitors, more relatives spending lots of time at the home - helping out , lots of events like garden party, coffee morning , and a general buzz about the place. Sorry !! gettng carried away.

 

[Chris]

Reporting of falls

PS Just remembered - there is a strict procedure care homes have to follow when someone has an accident - that includes a 'fall' I guess. Dont qote me, but it depends on the consequences of hte fall how it has to be reported. I fI remember correctly , if a hospital visit is invovled a report has to be made ht esame day to Social Service who come & do an assessment of the situation. I can probably find out for you. Underreporting of falls happens a lot I think.

Prevention of falls is a whole specialised subject . I agree with you about risk taking tho - restricting peoples movements is just not on esp when quality of life is reduced anyway & with Mum I thought her waling oaround & moving ornaments & furniture was her means of communication as she found the spoken word very difficult early on.

Hope your Dad improves very quickly.

 

[Jude]

Dear Chris,

I'm sure you are correct when you mention that a Care Home is only as good as its Manager. Sheila said something similar to me last week. She said that care is only as good as the person on duty at a specific moment.

Recently I visited my Aunt in her Care home. The atmosphere was wonderful. The place was positively buzzing with activity; lots of family visitors and tons of laughter. I had tried to book the oldies in to this Home previously, but unfortunately they do not have twin rooms. A very great shame indeed, because it would have been wonderful to have some of the oldie 'brothers and sisters' together in the same Home - extra visitors for all and a common bond and history to be shared.

Best wishes,

Jude

 

[susan]

Dear Chris
went to see dad yesterday, again i found him asleep in an arm chair, he was bent double over a table, but his head was not on it. I had him put to bed and he was out of it again. We have seen patterns like your mum over the past 4 years, Dad had a mini stroke a couple of weeks ago - blood pressure and pulse dropped dramatically. He slept for a lot the following week.
He is still managing to eat every meal time, also with his eyes closed. The only time he has not eaten is after a mini stroke.
I just feel that they want dad in the lounge because he fell after not bieng up for several weeks and he caught them out! he was in his bedroom at the time as it was after tea. His bedroom is off the main corridor. I have asked for him to be moved nearer the main nursing area as he has got more frail and now on 6 weeks non weight bearing for his hip. His fall was reported 3 days later when i told the manager as the nurse had not informed her!!!

I just feel i spend my whole time 'nagging' and not just visiting.
I found his pressure mattress not working properly again yesterday - so when the manager is in monday i am going to have to ask for it to be looked at!

The home has had a change of staff lately and the nurse in charge speaks little english and he seems dis- interested - previous to him the nurse was brilliant.
Moan moan moan - but i do wonder what else i can do to ensure he is being looked after properly - hopefully when we get the ultima it will help the situation.
Thanks for listening
Sue