My husband has been in a nursing home for two years now. During that time he has developed a habit of sliding forward in his chair. He also has a wheelchair with lap belt, which is used mainly during mealtimes, and sometimes when he is obviously too tired to walk, but still goes on and on. Even there he sometimes slides down till the belt is at his armpits. The last few weeks it has become so bad, that he is "resting" with his bum off the chair seat, just on his middle and upper back. He has slid off onto the floor a few times too. If you help him sit up, he is down again in half a minute. He does not look like he is in pain, but it must be so uncomfortable. It happens all the time, but is especially strong in the evenings. Sundowning, I guess. The staff is terrific. They help him sit up many times, and even put him in a Broda chair to see if that would help. That worked once or twice, but it becomes a danger in itself, as he tries to get out of it. Has anyone dealt with this? Or any suggestions? It is so hard to see him like this.
I don't know what a Broda chair is. He would probably benefit from a recliner...something where he can be laid back somewhat, with his legs elevated. Or perhaps try a geri chair with the tray, and maybe get his feet/legs up onto a footstool. And of course, place him somewhere where there is a lot of monitoring and supervision...like next to the nurses' station.
Hi I googled broda chairs and really had a great showing. It's " brodaseating.com". It looks like a very comfortable chair with no abrupt quick changes. It just flows easily from one position to the next. One even rocks.
When my mom was still able, she was in a chair with the tray. That way she could 'walk' around the hallways which she did. Also, if we kept a sport bottle of water on the tray she would drink the water with no trouble.
You might have to look for something like they use for children in high chairs so they don't slide out.
Thank you everybody for thinking with us. Staff suggested trying a pelvic restraint for the wheelchair, and I have signed for that. That is kind of what you meant, Charlotte? We will look into using a tray with the Broda chair. I have not bought one of those chairs, but there is one available in the evenings. We are in Canada, the government would pay a good part of the price, but it is still a considerable cost. We can try it out this way. I had thought of a recliner, but I am afraid that he would try to climb out of it and fall, like with the Broda. He would not know how to lower the leg rest, and just wrestle himself out of it. My husband can still walk around by himself, and restraints are used only when truly needed.
I do not post often, but I have been lurking for years, and you all have been a godsend in so many ways. I was prepared for things like him forgetting who I was, or forgetting our children, I could prepare for problems with incontinence etc. etc., and just the knowledge that I was not the only one in this situation has helped me cope many times. Joan, thank you for starting this site. I cannot imagine having to go through all this without it.
Hi Herta, my husband did that twice and it was such a surprise. I was only a few feet from him both times and when I turned to look at him, he was on his way down and out. I managed to wrestle him upright the first time. The second time, I couldn't. I put comforters on the floor and tipped the chair slowly so he went down onto them. After that cleverness, I realized that I couldn't get him off the floor! I too am in Canada (Toronto) and had to call 911. They came and got him up off the floor for me.
Jang, that is so strange, it happened only twice? My husband did it constantly. I can say "did", because for the moment it looks like we have found a solution :-). I noticed that when I took him to sit in the garden in the LTC home, he would slide down a bit and then push himself up again. One time he sat quietly for 20 minutes outside, then when I brought him inside, he was hanging over the front of his chair again within 30 seconds! So they brought one of those patio chairs inside, and he has been good ever since. I am sooo relieved. It was terrible to see him hanging there, and none of the other solutions really worked. The charge nurse wanted to know what was so different about that chair, so she sat in it and slid forward. She discovered that you slide up against the front metal bar of the seat, and have to make an effort to go over it. We now think that my husband simply was not aware of the fact that he went over the front of the other soft chairs. This bar is a sign for him to straighten up. Jang, maybe the same thing happened to your husband, but only a few times? Anyway, I am greatly relieved.