[Tetracyclone]

There is a way tiny women can transfer big guys. You wedge your knees against theirs, or against their shins, put their arms around your neck while you grasp the back of their pants. If they cannot hold knees steady you brace their knees between yours. then pull up their pants while pushing with your knees and you use your body as a lever as you boost their weight and pivot. Hard to describe... but your knees are the leverage point.

This post has been edited by Tetracyclone: 26 January 2010 - 01:13 PM

[airart1]

put couch on some blocks and raise couch if all u want to do is sit beside him.............

[gordonr]

airart1, on Jan 26 2010, 02:22 AM, said:

put couch on some blocks and raise couch if all u want to do is sit beside him.............

Bingo. Put the couch at whatever height is most comfortable for the chair transfer. AB's can adapt.

In the same line of ideas. In my house, the dinner table is raised to allow me to get my knees under it, and the rest of the family is sitting on those raised chairs made for lunch counters.

Best,

Gordon

[skinnylatte]

I do it the same way Tetra mentioned. If I can't get the knees just right, then I scoop him up like he's a bride. That's also how I get him into our bed at night (it's really high) and into and out of our SUV. You'd be surprised how strong your thighs are!!

[snowqueeneh]

Wow! I really like all the tips on this thread. I am getting a turny seat within the next month for my man. We have been practicing transfers for a couple months in PT. I am so nervous but after reading this I am feeling a bit better. I did buy a transfer kit online... it should come in any day now. It comes with a small transfer sheet/sling with a couple handles that goes around him... I was hoping it could spare his pants being tugged. I can let you know how that works out.

[norma]

When I was in rehab they showed how to do a towel transfer. you place the towel under their behind and use your knees against them, look on youtube maybe something there. Or ask
the ot to show you. I use a transfer board when I go on the couch. It is harder getting back in for sure. Good luck, and keep trying something will work.

[guido]

deb4604, on Jan 26 2010, 12:28 AM, said:

... having him on the couch where we can be "even" with each other, cuddling side by side (which, I might add was most awesome and well worth the effort to transfer him!)

Can I just say, bravo! Right there, that word effort, it really is worth it! When I find myself saying, "I can't be bothered", I know I've gone wrong (completely different from don't want to!).

[McTavish]

My better half raised the couch to the same level of wheelchair so it is so easy for me to get on and off couch unaided. Although when anyone visits their legs do not touch the floor.

[SandieT]

Quote

put couch on some blocks and raise couch if all u want to do is sit beside him.............

Bingo. Put the couch at whatever height is most comfortable for the chair transfer. AB's can adapt.

That's what my son has done.
OT department will supply proper blocks which can be adjusted to whatever height is needed. (I love to see him sitting on the sofa.)
Only problem was my grandson could almost crawl underneath when he was little which used to frighten me to death, and then he used to whizz all his cars underneath, get down on the floor on his tummy and say "cars hiding!" Then we all used to end up on the floor trying to retrive them, and once we had retrived them he would do the exact same thing again!! Great fun!

[snowqueeneh]

SandieT, on Jan 26 2010, 06:18 PM, said:

Quote

put couch on some blocks and raise couch if all u want to do is sit beside him.............

Bingo. Put the couch at whatever height is most comfortable for the chair transfer. AB's can adapt.

That's what my son has done.
OT department will supply proper blocks which can be adjusted to whatever height is needed. (I love to see him sitting on the sofa.)
Only problem was my grandson could almost crawl underneath when he was little which used to frighten me to death, and then he used to whizz all his cars underneath, get down on the floor on his tummy and say "cars hiding!" Then we all used to end up on the floor trying to retrive them, and once we had retrived them he would do the exact same thing again!! Great fun!

That's so cute

[airart1]

tip it over and screw them on, they won't come off....pretty simple!

[qbounce]

airart1, on Jan 25 2010, 07:22 PM, said:

put couch on some blocks and raise couch if all u want to do is sit beside him.............

As Airart said, there are raised couch legs online designed to replace most screw-in legs already on your couch/sofa. They even come in different woods to match your pre-existing ones.

This post has been edited by qbounce: 27 January 2010 - 08:58 PM

[snowqueeneh]

I received the kit last night. It's great. Everything is really excellent quality. Way better than the stuff they have at the rehab place we go to. I purchased it online in Canada. You get a whole lot for under $250. Lots of different things to try. Check it out. It's well worth it.

http://www.2care4medical.com/index.cfm?pag...;eProductID=313

This post has been edited by snowqueeneh: 02 February 2010 - 12:51 PM

[gordonr]

snowqueeneh, on Feb 2 2010, 12:49 PM, said:

I received the kit last night. It's great. Everything is really excellent quality. Way better than the stuff they have at the rehab place we go to. I purchased it online in Canada. You get a whole lot for under $250. Lots of different things to try. Check it out. It's well worth it.

http://www.2care4medical.com/index.cfm?pag...;eProductID=313

Snow,

That is very interesting.

I'd like to know the use of the other items.

The disk for example, what is it for?

Best Regards,

Gordon

[Izziwhizzi]

Yes, some ideas on how to use the kit would be good.

An idea on how the transfer sheet helps, does it just slide up your back when doing a chair to bed transfer if you can't manage to get it right under the bum area? and also what was the chunkier looking green thing on the picture?

Thanks

I xx

[snowqueeneh]

Well the chunky thing is a safelty belt to guide people who are walking (we wont use that). The sheet is actually more like a belt... it has a tough sort of sticky material on the other side so that it grips when transfering. I will be trying it out tomorrow at PT just to be safe. It has really solid handles too. It's the one thing I wanted... the rest I'm not sure about. I will have to try out a few things. I'm sure I will find some sort of use out of the rest of the items. The disk slides and spins around. The other sheet thing is more like a large cuff that slides back and forth. Like I said... they are excellent quality items so they should actually work unlike the cheap versions I see at the rehab center we attend. I will keep you posted on how tomorrow goes.

[airart1]

some cool stuff, we always just blocked the knees and used a heavy towell when i first started standing.......

[HottWheelz]

deb4604, on Jan 25 2010, 06:28 PM, said:

I can easily transfer my bf from his wc to his bed and back. The bed height is adjustable, so it makes it fairly easy as I can always go from a higher point to a lower point.
Yesterday for the first time, I transferred him to my couch. Transferring WC to couch wasn't bad, but going back "up hill" to his chair was a bit more difficult. Any suggestions on how to make it easier?? I'm a nurse, so I'm very aware of good body mechanics and lifting with my legs and all, but just thought maybe there was something obvious that I was missing.
His mom mentioned putting a cushion/pillow under him to raise his height a bit, but it would be just as hard to get him up on to a cushion as it would to lift him, and if he sits on the cushion the whole time, then it kind of defeats the point of having him on the couch where we can be "even" with each other, cuddling side by side (which, I might add was most awesome and well worth the effort to transfer him!)

Not sure if it was mentioned, but if you don't have one you can get him a transfer belt. So rather than having to yank his pants up to his ears trying to lift him, you can grasp the belt instead. Makes things much easier. Also, as some said, when lifting him, try blocking his knees with yours, and such. The putting of his arms over your shoulders is all the norm, if possible try having him "hug" you though, as you go to lift. And remember, lift with your legs, not your back, or you will wind up cruising right next to him eventually.

Another technique I had used in the past also before I was able to do full self transfers, was to use a transfer board to assist. Placing one end of the board at his thigh, and the other end to his seat cushion, that way you aren't lifting quite so much, but will be able to "slide" him during transfer. Just make sure to get a transfer board that is very slick, very easy to slide on regardless of the pants he is wearing, and one that is sturdy, with very little flex to it.

As someone else mentioned the use of a towel can help sometimes too.

All you can really do is try different methods to see what works best for you guys. Every situation is different. Hopefully some of the information you got here from everyone helps.

[snowqueeneh]

We tried the sling/belt at PT and it worked very well for us. We were using a towel, but this sling is much better. As for the rest of the stuff I am really not too sure if we till use it. I think that we will find some of the items useful as we come across different obsticles.

The sling cannot be used for the commode chair because the one side is a rough, grippy material... it's more for transfers to couch, car etc...