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My Mom weighs only about 110 lbs, most of the weight is in her tummy/bottom area. She needs help to stand up (from her bed, from chairs, from the commode, etc.), so I use the "wedgie lift" (what I call it), where I grasp the upper part of her slacks and Depends at her back and lift while she pushes up with her arms until she's standing.
I'm not sure how that translates in terms of "how much weight" I'm lifting. If I'm standing behind her, I can grasp with both hands and lift, or grasp/lift with my left hand/arm and use my right hand/arm to hold onto something to make sure I'm stabilized. I'm guessing that I am lifting/supporting about 50 of her 110 lbs whenever I lift her. But none of it is done in the proper way to lift something that heavy ... meaning, I can't squat a little and lift from underneath.
Over the last few years of doing this, I've developed some sciatic pain in the back of my left hip, running down a bit into the back of my left thigh. Up until very recently, I took 800 mgs of Ibuprofen at bedtime to help relax my lower back overnight, and this helped pretty well with regard to the sciatic pain most of the time. However, recently I had an abscessed tooth kick up over a weekend, and I accidentally overdosed on Ibuprofen over two days, trying to control that pain -- and ended up with either an irritation of my digestive tract or an ulcer ... I'm on a 2-week course of OTC medication to see if that takes care of it. And I may not be able to take Ibuprofen again, it remains to be seen.
So of course, now my sciatic pain is not being addressed. It's not serious enough to see a doctor for, but over the course of the day it does wear on me, and I am concerned about whether the continous bad lifting will cause it to worsen.
Roughly, I figure I am lifting in the neighborhood of 500 lbs a day in increments of 50, LOL!
First talk to her doctor and physical therapist if she has one plus her insurance, then check to see if she qualifies for a portable lift or any type of lifting device to help you and her.
Check with her doctor or physical therapist about ways to lift that will not stress your back so much. One way that is often used is to face her while she is sitting in a chair or on the edge of a bed or in a wheelchair - whatever she uses - and have her place her hands on your shoulders while you put one foot between hers ,which are flat and parallel on the floor, with a small space between them. Most lifters use their right feet between the patient's feet, with their left foot to the left, parallel to their right foot but free of the patient's feet.
Grasp her firmly (but don't squeeze) beneath the arms around towards her back, almost as if you are hugging her firmly. Some people using this lift like to clasp their hands with interlaced fingers behind the person's back. Have her lean forward so that some of her upper body weight is on your shoulders and upper arms (on which her arms are resting) through her arms and hands - she can even rest her head on your right shoulder to make sure she is leaning forward correctly.
On a count of three, you lift up while she pushes up as much as she can, keeping her weight on your upper arms and shoulders. This way, some of her weight stays on her own feet instead of all of it being dead weight on you. Have her chair or wheelchair next to the bed at a right angle, with the wheels parallel to the side of the bed and the front facing the same direction as the foot of the bed: LI ^ (here the LI represents the bed and the ^ represents the wheelchair). Lift her firmly and swivel until she is standing in front of the wheelchair, then lower her slowly into the seat, making she is not slumped and that her back is against the back of the wheelchair seat.
Explain each step to her in advance and demonstrate with someone who is not disabled if you can before trying it with her. Make sure the wheelchair brakes are on and the footrests up, of course.
Good luck - hope you can make this work or find another technique which won't injure either of you.
Do not try this lift without having it okayed and until you are shown how to do it in person.
Would a "trapeze" bar above her bed be helpful for her to grasp?
My Mom weighs only about 110 lbs, most of the weight is in her tummy/bottom area. She needs help to stand up (from her bed, from chairs, from the commode, etc.), so I use the "wedgie lift" (what I call it), where I grasp the upper part of her slacks and Depends at her back and lift while she pushes up with her arms until she's standing.
I'm not sure how that translates in terms of "how much weight" I'm lifting. If I'm standing behind her, I can grasp with both hands and lift, or grasp/lift with my left hand/arm and use my right hand/arm to hold onto something to make sure I'm stabilized. I'm guessing that I am lifting/supporting about 50 of her 110 lbs whenever I lift her. But none of it is done in the proper way to lift something that heavy ... meaning, I can't squat a little and lift from underneath.
Over the last few years of doing this, I've developed some sciatic pain in the back of my left hip, running down a bit into the back of my left thigh. Up until very recently, I took 800 mgs of Ibuprofen at bedtime to help relax my lower back overnight, and this helped pretty well with regard to the sciatic pain most of the time. However, recently I had an abscessed tooth kick up over a weekend, and I accidentally overdosed on Ibuprofen over two days, trying to control that pain -- and ended up with either an irritation of my digestive tract or an ulcer ... I'm on a 2-week course of OTC medication to see if that takes care of it. And I may not be able to take Ibuprofen again, it remains to be seen.
So of course, now my sciatic pain is not being addressed. It's not serious enough to see a doctor for, but over the course of the day it does wear on me, and I am concerned about whether the continous bad lifting will cause it to worsen.
Roughly, I figure I am lifting in the neighborhood of 500 lbs a day in increments of 50, LOL!
Any ideas???
Lifting her from the front is a good method, especially is she is unstable...however you must be very close to her, it should look like you're slow dancing when you go to lift her and your knees should be actually touching. The more space there is between your bodies during the transfer, the more pressure on your back. If you go to eHow or Youtube, you will find many videos for safe transfer techniques. I am not sure why you can't squat?
I would start with raising her and getting her rails, that is the easiest, cheapest and fastest way to make it easier for her to stand. You would be amazed at the difference just raising her 2 or 3 inches will make.
While you are on Youtube or E-How, also look for exercises for Sciatica. There are many exercises and stretches you can do on your own to address it but you must do them. Also a soft back support, the kind you can get in CVS, can help you maintain good posture while you lift her.
For yourself, see about Chiropractic care. A chiropractor really helped me with severe sciatic pain several years ago. I mean the treatments at the time were so very helpful! She rescued my impending vacation. So, you might give Chiropractic a try.
If you have an Ottoman foot stool, it would be easier than lifting her directly onto the bed or a wheelchair. It's only about a foot high. I use a small padded bench and brace it against a nearby wall so it doesn't move.
In the future, you might think about getting grab bars or poles in high-risk areas. She can grab onto those when you lift her. Having her stable makes a big difference.
Also, think about exercising. If you're at home and devoting full-time to work and caregiving, your muscles will atrophy. I've been walking/jogging 30 minutes a day for over a year and it's made it easier to work through any joint pains or inflammation.
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