Father paralysed what help?

Prettygreeneys_2

Hello
I'd be greatful if someone a bit more knowledgeable could give me some advice my Dad has been in hospital since the start of May he is now as the results of a rare spinal problem paralysed. The surgeon operated in the hope of restoring function but it has failed. He is able to wiggle his toes but totally unable to walk or even stand and now uses a wheelchair. He is a patient at a spinal injuries unit having physio and occupational therapy they say he will remain a patient until the middle of October.
My parents live in a semi detached council house where the bathroom and bedroom is upstairs obviously my Dad is not able to use the stairs or even get inside the house as it requires going up a step. This is all so new my dad has had problems with his legs for years and struggled with walking but was misdiagnosed as having arthritis instead of the 1 in 3 million condition he does have. My parents both receive a state pension and my dad receives mobility will there be any more help available for them.

Thanks

wolfehouse

the team at the spinal injuries unit should be looking into his financial and housing situation
so that come october they will have filled in the forms for dla (or pip if that has replaced dla by then)
and the OT will see if adaptations can be made to the house or if the housing association will have to
rehome your parents (if you are a council tenant i am told they have a duty to find you a suitable property...)
the spinal injuries unit will be used to this sort of thing.

p.s. if you are in scotland get in touch with the spinal injuries service (charity) and have a word with them about thing.
http://www.sisonline.org/

Prettygreeneys_2

Hello again

I'm hoping that some people who are already in wheelchairs could share their experience with me the council has been surprisingly helpful and have agreed to make the adaptations to my parents house.
However the hospital OT and the council say that it is personal preference they say my dad can either have some sort of bath with a lift or a shower tray with a chair that he slides on to. My dad is 65 years old and is unlikely to get any better he is determined to be as independent as possible which option would be best for him.
Also does anyone have any recomendations for which self propelled wheelchair is best he currently has an action 3 but finds it quite heavy and its hard for me to fit in my car when I bring him home for visits. If anyone has anything that might be helpful to know in my Dad's situation it would be great to hear it.
Cheers

Prettygreeneys_2

Also I meant to ask my father has a blue badge and has done for a number of years. When I go to collect him from the hospital can I park in a disabled parking bay even though its me and not my Dad thats driving? I usually park next to an empty parking space but when the car park is full its impossible as Dads wheelchair has to be next to the passenger door while he uses his sliding board to get inside the car.

Errata

1) Is the bathroom big enough for a hoist - if I remember correctly the bath can only be fixed to a wall at the foot or head end to allow helpers to get to either side if necessary, and that on it's own means a big bathroom.
2) Will the council widen all the doors downstairs to allow wheelchair access.
3) Can your dad practise with a hoist and a shower set up at Spinal unit to see which he prefers now, and which he'll be able to manage for some time to come
4) The good news! Yes you can park in a disabled bay and display your dad's BB when you're picking him up and taking him back.
HTH

Prettygreeneys_2

The bathroom is not that big what they are suggesting is a bath with a lifting chair that my dad slides onto that lowers him into the bath but they say he'll have to attach a strap to his legs to move them into and out of the bath. I'm not sure how safe this will be.
We have Dad home for a few hours on a Sunday and he can get through the doors downstairs as long as someone pushes him through as the doorway isn't wide enough for his arms and the wheelchair.
He's tried both but says they are both very hard to do and quite a struggle.
Thats good news about the disabled parking it will make things much easier are you sure about this I do not want to get into any trouble.

Errata

The bathroom is not that big what they are suggesting is a bath with a lifting chair that my dad slides onto that lowers him into the bath but they say he'll have to attach a strap to his legs to move them into and out of the bath. I'm not sure how safe this will be.

It sounds like they're suggesting the cheapest option for them, not the best and safest one for your dad. What happens if there's a power cut and your dad is stuck in the bath? What happens if he slides down in the bath and nobody can get him upright again?
Perhaps if you and your dad together jot down all the 'what if' points it would help? The main one is that whatever upper body strength and abilities your dad has now may reduce over the next couple of years - and what happens then if up to that point he's been used to heaving himself around and no longer can?

mary-op

Both myself and OH have mobility problems and the council have suggested a shower with seat/wet room. It means removing the bath totally but as we can't get in and out of it there's some sense in that and we're happy with what''s been suggested.........our OT said it would be better for us as well.

wolfehouse

wet room would be the gold standard for independece. level access shower tray second choice if they aren't willing to do a major adaptation.
sounds like they are suggesting a bathlift of the kind you can buy 'anywhere'...the battery will always lift you back up if
it takes you down. this will be harder for him to operate independently than a shower (depending on his ability to transfer)
but i guess they are really asking if he just loves a soak, therefore worthwhile the trouble.

Prettygreeneys_2

Its even worse than I thought the council are now saying that there is a two year waiting list for any adaptations to be made to the home. My Dad will be coming home in a couple of months surely its not reasonable to expect him to go without a proper wash for so long they say a sponge bath will have to do.
My mum has already paid for a stairlift to enable my Dad to get upstairs to go to bed and just hasn't got the money for a new bathroom.
If the Doctors hadn't misdiagnosed my father for so long we wouldn't be in this mess now it makes me so angry.

Mojisola

Prettygreeneys_2 wrote: »

Its even worse than I thought the council are now saying that there is a two year waiting list for any adaptations to be made to the home. My Dad will be coming home in a couple of months surely its not reasonable to expect him to go without a proper wash for so long they say a sponge bath will have to do.
My mum has already paid for a stairlift to enable my Dad to get upstairs to go to bed and just hasn't got the money for a new bathroom.
If the Doctors hadn't misdiagnosed my father for so long we wouldn't be in this mess now it makes me so angry.

This is what we're going to have to get used to as councils cut their budgets to the bone.

If your father was ever in the armed forces, he could apply to the related charities for help. Some trade unions also give assistance to their members.

If your Dad can't get help elsewhere, some care homes provide a bathing service using their specialist bath/shower rooms.

If he's going to stay at home and use the stairlift, he will need another wheelchair for upstairs.

Does he get DLA for care and mobility? If not, he should apply for Attendance Allowance.