This is fairly specific, so most of us never have to deal with it. I’d try to look it up but don’t even know how to pose the question in search form.
Gram is getting very weak and has trouble getting out of chairs.
I keep telling her to ask her physical therapist for advice, but she can’t seem to remember to.
She has one chair that has a seat that rises up with an airpump, but that only works for that chair.
So, what would be the best way to do it?
Would you try to put your hands beside you and push up?
Would you try to always sit on a pile of pillow? That seems so unstable.
Or get something in front of you like a side chair and pull up on that?
Or use a cane and lean into it? (She sometimes does this but I envision her slipping and taking a header. I’d like to keep her weight over her feet at all times)
Even when I’m there to help her I don’t know what to do. She’ll offer me one arm like I’m going to lift her up like a giant purse, and I can’t budge her that way.
Trying to hold her waist doesn’t get me anywere.
What to do…
I had that problem for a while. Soft seats are worse than a firm seat. Lower chairs are worse. Something high enough that your feet are a few inches off the floor when you sit helps. A chair that has a shallow seat length to the back helps. Something with solid arms on both sides, with a seat no wider than you need to fit your butt in is better. The person can use the arms which are close to their body to get up. I couldn’t get out of a low soft sofa without rolling off or being helped. I think when you help her a hand under each armpit will work the best. The lift chairs are the only thing that works sometimes, and she needs to stay out of chairs that she can’t get out of.
my mum’s pt tried very hard to get her to push out of chairs. it is easier if it is an armchair. mum was on a love seat. he would have her push with her hands (using one hand on the cushion, one hand on the arm) until she was in nearly a 90 degree angle. then straighten up from the waist up.
she however, insisted on pulling herself up on a rolling table next to her. which would drive me nuts because it was on wheels. she did not understand why i would get a bit upset about it.
finally it got to the point where she could not get up unassisted. in many ways it was a bit of a relief, even though i had to drop what i was doing or run from where ever i was; to help her.
they do have this nifty chair flinging things. she refused to have one because she though it would or i would some how fix it to “harm” her. she was watching waaaay tooooo much lifetime tv by that point.
Try a chair that rocks, she’ll be able to get some momentum going. Doesn’t have to be a traditional rocker, they make club chairs and such that have a rocking motion.
My Mother in law used to have a rocking club chair and was quite accustomed to using that rocking motion to get herself up, it worked for her. But it got old. So her daughter and her went and picked out a stationary wingback with a footstool, based largely on the upholstery, I believe. It went wonderfully with drapes, don’t you know.
Long story short, she gave herself a stroke trying to rise from the thing, too hardheaded to ask for assistance or give up. She was left bedridden from the stroke, we moved her in with us and cared for her for six years before she died. That very wingback chair came with her and sat beside her hospital bed, for guests.
I know it’s foolish but I came to hate that chair. After she died I moved it up into the attic so I wouldn’t have to look at it. Stupid, huh?
Even at the young age of 62, I have this problem with seating that you sink down into, like the love seat I’m in when watching tv. I cannot get up without using my arms, and even that’s not easy. Normal chairs are no problem (yet).
From my experience with hoisting people out of those bucket-bottomed folding sling camp chairs, one thing that helps the person in the chair as well as the person helping them get up is for both parties to cross their arms at the wrists, rather than keeping their arms straight. Then you grab their hands and pull them up.
As I understand it, this gives a bit more leverage and/or involves stronger muscles, and helps prevent back or shoulder injuries.
For Grandmother, is she able to scooch her way to the front edge of the cushion, then push up and off with her hands on the chair’s arms? Or is this a squishy man-eating chair that anybody would have trouble getting out of?
My mother has pretty much given up sitting on anything soft and upholstered. She sits on a regular dining room chair with a cushion, or on a wooden rocker in the living room. It helps her having the sturdy kitchen table there for support, but basically she just kind of rocks back and forth, and uses her cane to steady herself as the momentum finally propels her forward and up. It’s not easy to watch, because I know this is a bad sign for her future. Having arms on the dining room chair would certainly help her.
Mine has an adjustable leg which may be set short enough to push up on when getting up from a low chair. Gives much better stability. Also, they stand up by themselves. I would also advise against sitting in any low chair or couch.
Amazon sells some books on the subject of little home improvements and gadgets that allow elderly and disabled people to live in their own homes independently for a longer time. They might have some tips and tricks on these and other issues your Gram might have.
Such little gadgets make all the difference. For instance, a helping hand like this one helps to pick up things from the floor or out of reach. Other little gizmo’s help to open bottles and jars for hands that have lost their former strong grip.
Hopefully a physical therapist will be along to explain this a little better, but from working in an assisted living facility these are the basics:
Have her push herself up if she can.
Have her rock back and forth, when she comes forward, count one, the next time she comes forward count two, and then, the next time is three. This allows her to get some momentum going to get up. On three, she should try to get all the way up. If she can’t, try again. If she needs a little more help, you can take her elbows and gently boost her forward.
If she is walking or moving and it becomes apparent that she is going to fall, do not attempt to catch her. If she falls on you, you’ll both be hurt.
I’m not sure where I learned this, but it works. Have her clamp her knees and legs together, then (while standing,) clamp your knees outside of hers. Pull her up by the hands. Hope I’m not leaving out any steps or this will be very confusing!
When my mother got too frail to push herself up, my father put a length of 2x4 under each side of her recliner, which raised it by 1-1/2 inches so that when she was sitting down her toes just touched the floor. She could scoot forward and be mostly out of the chair when her feet hit the ground, and could push herself up the rest of the way.
Roddy
