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V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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My husband is finding it difficult to walk, stumbling forward at each step. He has dementia 5 years and non treatable bowel cancer 3 years. Would it make him weaker or would it give us both more freedom to go for walks, shopping, outings etc?
I am the caregiver for my mother-in-law (mil). As her ability to walk has become more difficult, I quickly began to use a wheel chair, even for short trips to the bathroom. It was an emotional decision, because I hate to see her suffer. However, I noticed that not only did she decline in her walking but she quickly lost her ability to even stand. I thought about it and decided I may have done her a disservice by reducing the use of her muscles. I went back to helping her with walker when getting up and walking in house. Her ability to stand came back quickly. I realized that there is a fine line between aiding in the struggle and taking away muscle strength. Muscle strength is lost so quickly. I think you have to honestly judge how much the struggle and pain of walking with walker you must relieve when it will directly affect standing and the ability to help in being independent and staying in the home with your help. Taking away all muscle requirements may seem to be the kinder thing, yet, it may actually debilitate the person further. Since I went back to using the walker only in the house (except from bathroom to bed at night -when she is so tired and weak) her ability to stand, turn around, and keep me from lifting her has increased dramatically. There is no easy answer, but I have seen that once you reduce muscle use, you reduce muscle strength and you reduce the person's ability to help you move them. What do you do when your assistance is not enough because of their reduced muscle strength? You either call in hospice or put them in nursing home where they can get more help. And yet, when I visit nursing homes, they are so short on help that the patients may not get the help they need. It can be a conundrum. Only the person who is daily with the patient can truly figure it out.
Ask doctor to a referral to physical therapy. The therapist can test your husband's balance, strength, gait... and recommend the mobility tools (cane, walker, scooter...) that best helps your husband's current level of mobility.
After the walker comes the wheel chair. Often a chair is use for outings like dinner or the doctor. But soon it will become a necessary requirement. I remember I took my wife to the hospital used the chair but they brought her home on a bed that she never got out of again
My MIL used a walker to go to the shops, which was quite a way through a housing area. When she tired, she sat down on the seat. People often came out to ask if she was OK, and struck up a conversation. She ended up with the trip being quite a social event.
She was highly resistant to getting the walker, and only agreed to hire one short-term when she came out of hospital after a minor op. After three months (minimum hire), she didn’t want to let it go. The hire company was delighted to sell it to her cheap, because it was an old model that wasn’t height-adjustable and was shorter than most people. MIL was just the right height, so she kept the one she loved.
Get a walker with four wheels such link an Elenker. We find it more mobile than the walker with two wheels. With the Elenker patient can use it to stand up, push, sit on one side, or sit on the other side and be pushed. It motivates the patient to walk. Does well on flat surfaces such as in buildings and sidewalks. It is not a as comfortable as a wheelchair.
Ask his doctor for a referral to physical therapy. The physical therapist will evaluate his strength and mobility. Then, he or she will devise a plan to help him gain maximum strength and independence. If your husband does not improve, the therapist can recommend products that best suit your husband's needs - wheelchair, walker/rollator, or cane.
Start with a walker. Only use a wheelchair for treks that you know are too far for him to walk unassisted
Once you sit down a rely on wheelchair to get around, he will very quickly be unable to walk at all. As legs get weaker, they won't be able to help you to stand, to move from one seat to another. Keep moving.
Even the recliners that do sit to stand lifting are problematic. Stop using leg muscles and arms to stand and push up, you lose the ability.
Get Dr to order home health care and physical therapy/ occupational therapy. One does waist down and one waist up.
Yes to both. My mom has dementia and had problems with balance before her dementia. After her last fall while she was already in a residential rehab, she fractured ger pelvis in three places. She didn't need surgery, but I have her use the wheelchair even in the house. We also got a stair lift to make going up and down easier. She still uses a walker for walking 5 feet to get to the powder room and turn around to use the toilet, as well as her bathroom to transfer to the toilet or the sliding shower chair. It isn't an easy decision and I have to vigalent because she forgets that she is a fall risk, has poor balance, and needs help to stand or go anywhere.
Thank you for all the interesting information about the difference between wheelchairs. I have managed to get a medical referral from our Doctor, which means my husband will be issued with wheel chair free of charge. We have appointment with OT to choose a chair on Wednesday.
You are right, it will make him weaker yet allow you both more freedom. How about using both? Meaning wheelchair only on outings? My husband has Parkinson’s disease, no dementia, but his motor skills are becoming worse and faster than expected. He is struggling to walk with walker. I know wheelchair will be needed soon. PT and meds were working until lately.
Until right before my mom died, she used a walker inside and we used a travel wheel chair for outings. It kept her independent but made the outings so much more safe (and easy for me).
Getting a prescription from your doctor for an OT or PT consult should be your first step. You can ask the assessor about types of wheelchairs. You can also find free chairs through your social services of department of aging community closet. They should have the info about where donated medical equipment is available
I would go and look at chairs before you decide on a transport chair. They can be quite hard to manoeuvre over long distances and difficult to go up kerbs etc. Sometimes chairs that are made so the user can propel themselves - even when they can’t do that and are reliant on someone pushing - are easier for someone to push. You can get light ones but they are more expensive.
Transport chairs are excellent. Especially for short distances such as from the car to the doctors office. However, longer distances shopping, taking a walk, or any other trips they can be not as easy to push. The wheelchair we used for my mother could be both a transport chair and full wheelchair. They can be a little more expensive but in the long run, I think it saved me money. I could use the transport chair when it was the best option then I could put the back wheels on and use it as a full wheelchair for other situations. We probably would’ve ended up buying two chairs instead of one.
Putting my mom into a wheelchair was a difficult decision and I was warned that she would get weaker faster. However, safety for both mom and myself, as well as quality of life, led me to the wheelchair.
Remember to take care of yourself or you won’t be able to take care of your husband.
If your husband is a veteran, you should be able to get a wheelchair from them. If he is not already in the VA system, message me privately and I can give you some tips how to get started in the VA system. If he is not a veteran, talk to his provider(s) and hopefully they can prescribe one for Medicare to pay for. If either of these work out for you, I recommend requesting a regular one because they provide only one every so many years... I think maybe 5-10.
@cdmdudley "It’s me that needs my husband in a wheelchair, so we can go back to walks along our nearby seafront."
While I agree a transport chair is much easier to handle... but only when he is NOT in it. It definitely is lighter to put in and out of a car. Of course he always has the option to push the empty chair (like a walker) when he feels like walking. It is best for smooth surfaces but can be difficult if you need to use it for very far especially on uneven sidewalks and probably next to impossible if you have to go on the grass or dirt (even packed) surfaces. When I picture your nearby seafront, I also picture possible boardwalks. Uneven surfaces and even smooth (long distance) can wear you out.
You might want to consider asking around if someone has one you can try with him sitting in it and compare to a regular one. At the least try both in a store, I recommend you do not order online for this reason. You know the uses you may need for one and hopefully can make the best choice. You might also check with your local council on aging and they may have a resource that distributes donated ones in good condition.
For what it is worth, when we went to the VA, I had the intention of getting a transport chair. The Occupational Therapist talked me into a regular chair because of the effort it can take at times to push someone in a transport chair. She explained the pros and cons of both and we decided on the regular chair for our anticipated needs. I do keep it in the trunk all the time because we don't use it unless we do have a distance to walk like in a store. Sometimes there have been very kind people walking by who offer to help me get it in and out. I also went ahead and bought a transport chair (I think less than $200) at Aldi's when I saw one there. It is nice to have both if you have the option.
Thank you for your common sense views. Life is very difficult without any other help. It’s me that needs my husband in a wheelchair, so we can go back to walks along our nearby seafront. I will take the advice to get a transport chair. It sounds lighter to lift in and out of car. Thank you again
Ask yourself this... Would he be safer using a wheelchair? Would I be safer with him using a wheelchair? If the answer to the either one is yes then there is no question.
He WILL get weaker. With or without a wheelchair. He will get weaker if he falls and breaks a hip. He is struggling with 2 life limiting conditions. I think a wheelchair will make his and your life a bit easier. You/he will still have the option to use a walker. So if he is resistant to the idea of a wheelchair compromise and say we will "try" the wheelchair when we go for long walks or out to the store. He can use the walker in the house.
My mom has been losing her mobility over the past 2 years. She has been using a walker in the house and walker/wheelchair on outings so that we can push her if she gets tired (which is happening more and more).
Yesterday we invested in a power wheelchair. She loves it! Mom was cruising around a local store within the hour. We're going to encourage her to use the walker as much as possible within the house so that she doesn't further decondition. But the power wheelchair (very light for lifting in the car) should give her greater independence while maintaining safety.
I think most of these mobility journeys require a hybrid approach depending on the stage of dementia.
Do what makes life better for both of you, get the wheelchair. I think you need to face the reality that losing his strength is inevitable and opting for a wheelchair is not going to speed that up, it's just part of that reality. An inexpensive transfer chair may be sufficient for now but if the time comes that he is spending most of his day in it I encourage you to work with an occupational therapist to have him fitted for a customized wheelchair with all the bells and whistles - tilt in space, lateral supports, pressure relieving cushion (like ROHO) and head rests - they are expensive but there usually are supports to cover much of that cost.
First I would invest in a transport chair instead of a wheelchair as they are much lighter in weight and easier to transport(excuse the pun). Then I will tell you what my husbands neurologist told me many years ago and that was to let my now late husband keep walking when able so he wouldn't lose his ability to. I only used his transport chair when I knew that he was weak or tired, or if we were going someplace that required a bit more walking than I knew he could handle. And the neurologist was right, because when my husband almost died of aspiration pneumonia in 2018, and was hospitalized for almost a month, he ended up coming home completely bedridden and unable to walk at all and under hospice care. So if you want to go on walks with your husband or go shopping, then perhaps it best to take along the transport chair, but otherwise I would let him walk with his cane or walker at home and for shorter stints.
Sounds like you should have gotten a wheelchair about a year ago. You may as well also invest in one of the those conversion vans that has the built in chair lift. It will make travelling immensely easier.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
Since I went back to using the walker only in the house (except from bathroom to bed at night -when she is so tired and weak) her ability to stand, turn around, and keep me from lifting her has increased dramatically. There is no easy answer, but I have seen that once you reduce muscle use, you reduce muscle strength and you reduce the person's ability to help you move them. What do you do when your assistance is not enough because of their reduced muscle strength? You either call in hospice or put them in nursing home where they can get more help. And yet, when I visit nursing homes, they are so short on help that the patients may not get the help they need. It can be a conundrum. Only the person who is daily with the patient can truly figure it out.
She was highly resistant to getting the walker, and only agreed to hire one short-term when she came out of hospital after a minor op. After three months (minimum hire), she didn’t want to let it go. The hire company was delighted to sell it to her cheap, because it was an old model that wasn’t height-adjustable and was shorter than most people. MIL was just the right height, so she kept the one she loved.
Once you sit down a rely on wheelchair to get around, he will very quickly be unable to walk at all. As legs get weaker, they won't be able to help you to stand, to move from one seat to another.
Keep moving.
Even the recliners that do sit to stand lifting are problematic. Stop using leg muscles and arms to stand and push up, you lose the ability.
Get Dr to order home health care and physical therapy/ occupational therapy. One does waist down and one waist up.
How about using both? Meaning wheelchair only on outings?
My husband has Parkinson’s disease, no dementia, but his motor skills are becoming worse and faster than expected.
He is struggling to walk with walker. I know wheelchair will be needed soon. PT and meds were working until lately.
You can also find free chairs through your social services of department of aging community closet. They should have the info about where donated medical equipment is available
Putting my mom into a wheelchair was a difficult decision and I was warned that she would get weaker faster. However, safety for both mom and myself, as well as quality of life, led me to the wheelchair.
Remember to take care of yourself or you won’t be able to take care of your husband.
@cdmdudley "It’s me that needs my husband in a wheelchair, so we can go back to walks along our nearby seafront."
While I agree a transport chair is much easier to handle... but only when he is NOT in it. It definitely is lighter to put in and out of a car. Of course he always has the option to push the empty chair (like a walker) when he feels like walking. It is best for smooth surfaces but can be difficult if you need to use it for very far especially on uneven sidewalks and probably next to impossible if you have to go on the grass or dirt (even packed) surfaces. When I picture your nearby seafront, I also picture possible boardwalks. Uneven surfaces and even smooth (long distance) can wear you out.
You might want to consider asking around if someone has one you can try with him sitting in it and compare to a regular one. At the least try both in a store, I recommend you do not order online for this reason. You know the uses you may need for one and hopefully can make the best choice. You might also check with your local council on aging and they may have a resource that distributes donated ones in good condition.
For what it is worth, when we went to the VA, I had the intention of getting a transport chair. The Occupational Therapist talked me into a regular chair because of the effort it can take at times to push someone in a transport chair. She explained the pros and cons of both and we decided on the regular chair for our anticipated needs. I do keep it in the trunk all the time because we don't use it unless we do have a distance to walk like in a store. Sometimes there have been very kind people walking by who offer to help me get it in and out. I also went ahead and bought a transport chair (I think less than $200) at Aldi's when I saw one there. It is nice to have both if you have the option.
Transport model is lighter to put in/out car BUT smaller wheels mean harder to push.
Full size wheel model has heavier frame BUT much easier to push.
(Some have pop-off wheels that make it a little easier to fit in the car).
I am a slight female. I cannot lift any of the frames into my car.
Would he be safer using a wheelchair?
Would I be safer with him using a wheelchair?
If the answer to the either one is yes then there is no question.
He WILL get weaker. With or without a wheelchair.
He will get weaker if he falls and breaks a hip.
He is struggling with 2 life limiting conditions. I think a wheelchair will make his and your life a bit easier.
You/he will still have the option to use a walker. So if he is resistant to the idea of a wheelchair compromise and say we will "try" the wheelchair when we go for long walks or out to the store. He can use the walker in the house.
My mom has been losing her mobility over the past 2 years. She has been using a walker in the house and walker/wheelchair on outings so that we can push her if she gets tired (which is happening more and more).
Yesterday we invested in a power wheelchair. She loves it! Mom was cruising around a local store within the hour. We're going to encourage her to use the walker as much as possible within the house so that she doesn't further decondition. But the power wheelchair (very light for lifting in the car) should give her greater independence while maintaining safety.
I think most of these mobility journeys require a hybrid approach depending on the stage of dementia.
Good luck with finding a solution(s).
An inexpensive transfer chair may be sufficient for now but if the time comes that he is spending most of his day in it I encourage you to work with an occupational therapist to have him fitted for a customized wheelchair with all the bells and whistles - tilt in space, lateral supports, pressure relieving cushion (like ROHO) and head rests - they are expensive but there usually are supports to cover much of that cost.
Then I will tell you what my husbands neurologist told me many years ago and that was to let my now late husband keep walking when able so he wouldn't lose his ability to.
I only used his transport chair when I knew that he was weak or tired, or if we were going someplace that required a bit more walking than I knew he could handle.
And the neurologist was right, because when my husband almost died of aspiration pneumonia in 2018, and was hospitalized for almost a month, he ended up coming home completely bedridden and unable to walk at all and under hospice care.
So if you want to go on walks with your husband or go shopping, then perhaps it best to take along the transport chair, but otherwise I would let him walk with his cane or walker at home and for shorter stints.
Weather or not it makes him weaker faster, won't matter if he has a sever fall, breaks a hip or hits his head.
So sorry about your husband's declining health