You never know when a little suggestion can come in handy. I’m always thinking, I’m sure there’s an easier way to do this. It takes a while to find the right combination, but the end results are worth it.
1. A portable gooseneck floor lamp easily gets close to the bed or wheelchair for reading.
2. An adjustable folding table is useful for reading, as it can be tilted to hold the book or magazine at a comfortable reading angle, and it moves easily on the mat when it needs to be removed. It also works well for snacking away from the kitchen table.
3. Setting daily pill doses the night before is a time saver when you don’t know how you’re going to start the next morning. Divided pill boxes work and are easily taken on the go. I saved the dosing cups from her trip to the hospital and use them to store and separate her pills for the day, nesting one inside the other, stacking them in the order they are to be taken. It is also easier for the helpers, CNAs, if the pills are already dispensed in the dose to be administered at specific times. You will also know if you missed a dose if the pills are still in the container that should have been emptied two hours ago.
4. Bibs save labor. Get them long and wide enough to get the job done. Pin the sides of the bib to the fabric of the patient’s pant legs with clothespins to prevent it from slipping out of position. When without a bib, use a kitchen or kitchen towel held over the patient’s shoulders with clothespins. When eating out a bib can be embarrassing for the patient. I bring a black hand towel to use in addition to the napkins provided at the restaurant. Black or dark colors will not be as obvious to other diners as they are to your purpose.
5. A simple plastic tablecloth can make life so much easier. Be sure to place a cloth placemat or dish towel on the table to catch hot dishes or you will melt the plastic table cover. If you really like fancy tablecloths, you can protect them with clear or frosted plastic, sold by the yard at fabric stores like Jo-Ann Fabrics. Clean the plastic with soap and water and do a thorough cleaning with disinfectant spray.
6. A tip on using the Pneumatic Mechanical Patient Lift – Getting off the ground – Occasionally, you will stumble and fall due to your inability to keep your balance. Most of the time, to get him up, we’ve been able to get him to turn around and get his legs under him in a kneeling position and hold on to a chair or other sturdy object that can support the weight of him getting up (with my help) .
This time he was determined to sit on the floor and examine a project he wanted to work on. He knew there was no room for him to maneuver. I had to use the mechanical pneumatic patient lift to get it up again and was glad to have it stored where I could pull it out and put it to use. I wasn’t happy that I couldn’t lift it, but without that lift, I probably would have spent the rest of the day in there until I could get help lifting it.
