You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
My mum took a tumble at home. There’s not much of her but my dad can’t lift her up. They are both in their 80s. We live a couple of hours away and they would never phone “as they don’t want to be too much trouble.”
I know how difficult it was to rescue my father in law from the bushes when he collapsed when he was gardening.
The paramedics turned up after an hour and a half as she was warm ,comfortable and deemed a low priority.
Is there some sort of inflatable gubbins that can be used to at least allow someone to be sat up?
Always better if the fallen person is able to get themselves up, or at least get up with the minimum of assistance. If you're looking to spend money then spend it on a physio, so they can learn things like backwards chaining. One day it may literally be lifesaving.
Aren’t there any neighbors who you could contact in such an emergency?
My MIL is hemiplegic due to a stroke and we regularly have to pick her off the floor provided she hasn't hurt herself - we leave nearby. Interestingly paramedics now insist on a 2-person lift - one either side, under the armpit / lifting the elbows. They are also being issue with airbags. The easiest 1-person lift is against a wall - get the patient sitting-up against a wall, legs straight out. Get behind them and with your arms under the armpits / around the chest do a squat-lift, sliding up the wall. The problem with calling out the paramedics is the time waiting for them to arrive and the time they need to complete the paperwork - it can take hours, particularly as even minor head injuries can require a referral / doctor's sign-off.
There's an alarm service with a portable button that you can subscribe to. You will need a keysafe so they can get in the door to help.
They have the button thing. Basically they call the paramedics.
All the neighbours were at work but as I said even if their house was on fire they wouldn’t want to trouble the fire brigade.
We use Mangar lifting cushions, you’ll need deep pockets.
Get behind them and with your arms under the armpits / around the chest do a squat-lift, sliding up the wall.
Absolutely do not lift anyone especially the elderly like this.
My MIL has a button thingmy (she's 97) that calls out a dedicated red button team, not paramedics (it is a subscriber service that that the council put her in touch with, sorry, don't have any more info though)
My parents have the Mangar Elk lifting cushion. Arranged through NHS via their doctor. It's good, but you need space around the fallen person to use it. The fallen person needs to roll one way then the other in order to get it beneath them. They have never been in a situation where they've been unable to use it.
Shouldn't fallen women be on the Jesus thread?
There’s an alarm service with a portable button that you can subscribe to. You will need a keysafe so they can get in the door to help.
My nan has one of these, lifeline I think it's called. it's a subscription thing and she actually had to use it the other day, fell in the garden doing something, but due to arthritis and other leg issues, just couldn't get back up, she wasn't injured as such.
They were there in about 25 mins, so worth it imo. Neighbours couldn't hear her shouting, although they are very helpful, they can't help if they are out or can't hear.
As we discovered when nursing my poor old MIL as she was dying of cancer, old folk have terribly fragile skin, especially those who are on steroids. Even tugging her arm would bring the skin off like the skin on an over-ripe peach.
Cue a nervous laugh when she was talking to somebody at the hospital who questioned the lesions on her arms and she replied: "Oh, that was when they were dragging me upstairs!"
Care call services are ok if you live locally to the resident,or have a neighbour listed on their contact form who can help,hopefully theyre fit enough to lift an elderley person, otherwise they will call the paramedics, who are then taken away from a possible life threatening patient, and if there isnt a key safe for them to access the dwelling, they will ring the police or fire service to make a forced entry, usually by damaging a door, for which you will be required to repair or replace at your cost, been to a few jobs like that, even at my dads.
The problem with the various lifting aids is you have to be near them as a faller to use them and understand how they work,
Please could you add a bit more detail to this statement:
Get behind them and with your arms under the armpits / around the chest do a squat-lift, sliding up the wall.
Absolutely do not lift anyone especially the elderly like this.
I know nothing at all about the subject, but the guidance seemed like a fairly pragmatic bit of advice for helping a family member on a very occassional basis. Please tell us why it is absolutely not the right thing to do.
Because it is potentially damaging to them sub luxated shoulder or even dislocated. Damage to rib cage etc. Old folks bones and ligaments are fragile. also a lot of potential to damage the lifters back
Drac being a paramedic often has to lift folk. So do I as a nurse. this is not a good way to do it one on one lift is never good.
Lifting techniques are hard to describe in writing. In my situation we would always use a hoist to lift from the floor unless the person only needed a very small amount of help ie they had the power but not the control to get up
I have assisted somone to use this technique https://go4life.nia.nih.gov/exercises/getting-floor
Ihave also assisted someone to get up using something similar to the second of the two methods here https://www.stayonyourfeet.com.au/home/what-if-i-do-fall/get-up-off-the-floor/
Drag lifting is an illegal technique, it has massive potential to cause dislocated shoulders, nerve damage and other injuries more so in stroke patients.
There are recognised methods for getting people off the floor most involves a minimum of 2 people but with more lifting aids becoming available that is becoming less likely. Some areas like others have suggested have recognised teams to help with falls.
Thanks for the extra info
It not actually illegal Drac - just against policy and good practice - pedant point!
Aye illegal was the wrong word.