Re Teri - need sleep thank you

[Guest guest]

Hi Teri

I went every day to the Rehab facility and watched the Physical Therapy. My Dad

who was walking pretty great - was in a wheelchair from getting sick and going

to hospital for 5 days !! (he has PD, LBD, MSA)

If you can watch the P.T. sessions it is helpful - my sister and I watched and

learned to give " cues " . We had to say " Dad, put your arms on the seat - push

yourself UP, just stand there for a minute " Everything had to be cues - he had

no idea how to stand up !!! . It is important for family members to learn

" cues " - Just getting up from a chair - they don't know how without being told

how - that is " cues " .

Its interesting to note, my husband who didn't learn the cues - he just walks

over and tries to lift him up or pull him up - that is disaster waiting to

happen. The patient has to try and engage all their muscles and balance

mechanisms - not just be lifted up like a kid and plopped down. So I am trying

to teach my husband what are the cues - so he won't just pick him up again.

So ask the Aides, CNA's and P.T. people to teach you the " cues " . - how did get

out of a chair, how to stand, how to walk. - how to get on and off the toilet,

how to get in bed, how to get out of bed - everything.

my Dad is able to stand up and walk some now.

Still needs to be told how to do it.

Thanks

H.

[Guest guest]

Hope you don't mind my jumping in J

How absolutely right! A lot of pt's don't know this either. The ones who

do seem to be the ones who get it. There's a lot that needs to happen if

one is to perform, " stand up " or " walk. I have been using cues with my mil

for a few years now, more and more cues needed to be figured out. First

thing look for if suddenly she cannot walk or sit of cough or spit or

swallow is cues. I help her know HOW to it because the brain cannot do

autopilot anymore maybe forever or for just a little while, never know.

Very important for caregivers to understand - they need to help fill in the

gaps for the part of the brain that isn't working.

Another trick for walking is counting with each step -- 1, 2, 3, 4 - 1, 2,

3,4 pick up your feet nice and high, stand up straight and tale (both useful

cues) 1, 2, 3, 4 Oh you're doing so well! 1, 2, 3, 4 very good! " and so

on. The COUNTING hits in another part of the brain and helps unlock the

feet frozen to the floor issue (one of my mil's best PT's showed me this gem

after cueing wasn't helping so much). Match the counting with their steps

but try to keep it constant and build to a regular cadence 1 2 3 4 .

This works fantastically. Another thing that helps break the frozen to the

floor feet is singing a simple song - row row row your boat for instance.

The rhythm of this helps. And the other very important thing - before

standing have them do toe and heel lifts and knee lifts and a few leg

extensions - but ESPECIALLY the toe and heel lifts - that also helps get the

feet unfrozen. We did the cues for walking - left your feet, stand

straight and tall, big steps - at first, then we had to do more and more of

the counting/cadence and then singing the songs to get things moving a

little. It has been more and more of a struggle. Last week my mil had an

episode that she could not walk or stand - she was like a ragdoll from the

waist down and had to put her to bed. She was able to do leg exercises but

she could not stand up. The next day she was better. This morning the same

thing happened and she's in bed again. No telling if this is it or not -

she can do some leg movements ok but is week and shaky. I know it's only a

matter of time that she will not be ambulatory at all, but maybe some days

will be better than others. I will keep trying for certain in case she has

a good day J

We take for granted how much we have to know to walk, sit, cough and swallow

- how much we depend on our brains for doing all these things about a

conscious thought. Our loved ones really need this help with these things

their brains can't do auto anymore.

Dorothy

PS A really good exercise for when they are just getting ambulatory again

is just standing up for a few minutes at a time, then longer and longer

periods of time, several times through the day. I learned and then did this

with my mil when she came to live with us - after the temp caregiver had her

in a wheelchair so much that she couldn't walk! (just a month in the chair

was enough).

From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ]

On Behalf Of Hanley

Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2011 2:00 PM

To: LBDcaregivers

Subject: Re Teri - need sleep thank you

Hi Teri

I went every day to the Rehab facility and watched the Physical Therapy. My

Dad who was walking pretty great - was in a wheelchair from getting sick and

going to hospital for 5 days !! (he has PD, LBD, MSA)

If you can watch the P.T. sessions it is helpful - my sister and I watched

and learned to give " cues " . We had to say " Dad, put your arms on the seat -

push yourself UP, just stand there for a minute " Everything had to be cues

- he had no idea how to stand up !!! . It is important for family members to

learn " cues " - Just getting up from a chair - they don't know how without

being told how - that is " cues " .

Its interesting to note, my husband who didn't learn the cues - he just

walks over and tries to lift him up or pull him up - that is disaster

waiting to happen. The patient has to try and engage all their muscles and

balance mechanisms - not just be lifted up like a kid and plopped down. So I

am trying to teach my husband what are the cues - so he won't just pick him

up again.

So ask the Aides, CNA's and P.T. people to teach you the " cues " . - how did

get out of a chair, how to stand, how to walk. - how to get on and off the

toilet, how to get in bed, how to get out of bed - everything.

my Dad is able to stand up and walk some now.

Still needs to be told how to do it.

Thanks

H.