New To Me

[gness]

I spent some of last evening sitting with my mother. Her condition and the type of bed means she slides down and has to be lifted back up, which does cause hurt to fragile bodies no matter how careful we are.

Yesterday the staff brought in an aid for this. It's a long strip, made from nylon...just like overall material, about 3ft wide and the ends stitched to form a loop.

It's slid under the patient and by holding the top layer....one person either side of the bed....the patient can be quite gently slid up into a comfortable position with no painful body contact.....the top layer of nylon slides so easily over the bottom layer.

In the past moving my mother would have caused squealing and often violence.....her....not me.

When MrG was ill and had two ankles and one arm in plaster this would have been a godsend for me....wish I had thought of it!

This is the first time I've seen these used. Are they new and are they in common use with immobile people?

Gx

[mallyh]

sending hugs to you gness,it can't be easy seeing your mum like that .xx

[gness]

Thanks, Mallyh.....we've never had much love for each other but knowing the woman she was....headstrong and proud....it got to me a lot yesterday....this confused little body in a nappy being helped up the bed and being fed liquids from a plastic cup.

It is so sad that anyone should end their life like that....and with the little bit of mind she has she tells us she wants to go to God...for her sake I wish she would....x

[albaqwerty]

just want to send you a hug gness xxxx

It's such a cruel illness.
When my mum started in the early stages, she would get very distressed as she knew something was wrong.

I can completely understand why you wish your mum to be at peace ((hug))

[gness]

Hi, Albs...and thank you....

'Tis cruel and heartbreaking....x

[woofgang]

gness, clothing doesn't actually protect against shear to any great degree unless its something very loose or silky and slippery and then the one way slide sheet doesn't work. If it is used directly on knickers or a nappy then the resulting wedgie is horrendous.

[gness]

Oh what a dilemma....though she did move quite happily yesterday so I suppose that has to be better than the screaming she did before when she was touched.... :-(

[woofgang]

gness I think what they are using on your Mum is the standard glide sheet, not the one way. Sorry for any confusion.

[RATTER15]

Gness, like Woofgand says, being slid on a normal slide sheet is generally pain free apart normal aches and pains associated with any movement for the elderly.

During training I have been moved with slide sheets many times, totally free moving and totally painless.

The one way slide sheet is a different thing again. I doubt very much they will be using one of these.

[gness]

Hi, both ....and thank you for your input....I will ask what it's called on my next visit....though it did seem better for her which was good.

Woof.....I live in a permanent state of confusion......you will have no effect on that at all.......☺

[Ann]

That sounds such a good invention. I can remember back 17 years ago when my Mum (then 73 ) had a brain aneurism and was in hospital dangerously ill for 10 weeks, they never used one of these at all. Two nurses used to come in and put their arms under Mums armpits and hoisted her up the bed!

Gness, how sad for you, it is such a cruel illness. I have been very sad for the past few weeks that my really healthy, completely "with it" 90 year old Mum passed away so suddenly after an innocent trip on a slab in her garden, and within 2 days she had numerous infections raging throughout her body which led to a very swift death, which left us all really shocked at the quickness of it all. But hearing about your Mum Gness, it kind of makes me thankful it happened like that to my Mum, it must be so heartbreaking to see yours like that. Love and hugs to you ((x))

[gness]

Ann...I know how much you cared for your Mum and how sad you were when you lost her but in truth I wish my Mum had gone as quickly...this is an awful end to a life....it's bothering me more than I ever thought it would and if I could see a way to end it for her I would....x

An aside ...my email has gone dolally....Yahoo...which is not what I'm shouting...but I have replied to you....though you may not have received it!

[ferlew]

Sending hugs Gness xx
Had a really bad day with MrF today.
He had me hunting for a birth certificate, (needed for a pension top-up).
He swore black was white it was in a white envelope, in a portable metal filing thingy we have.
Spent hours going through every place I could think of.
Around 5pm, he produced the certificate from his wallet.
Loads of other niggles too.

[Sparkles62]

We used one with MIL three years ago, it was so easy and much less distressing for her.
Mum was a terminal cancer patient, and every time they moved her or bathed her they asked me to leave the room, so I had never seen them use the slider.
Mum wanted to be at home for the end, so a few days before we took her home, I asked the nurses if I could stay whilst they moved/ washed Mum, as I was going to have to do it when we got home, and I would rather be shown the best way to do it, both for me and for her.
They agreed with me and let me help them, It certainly made me feel a lot more confident when we got home. X

[gness]

Hi, both and thank you....

Ferlew...I'm so sorry your having a bad time...wearing I know...xxx

Sparkles....wish I had known about them before....trying to move someone who can't help at all is hard work....x