As noted in my previous post, life is going well in our new home. That doesn’t mean we don’t have any problems. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s requires continual problem solving, but we do have successes. Among them is being able to get Kate out of bed every day, something we hadn’t been able to do for months after her return from the hospital on Thanksgiving. We also take her out of the apartment though hallways that connect us to all the other buildings in our complex. That’s been helpful in terms of introducing Kate to other residents, and stopping along the way for ice cream hasn’t been bad either.
We have encountered one troublesome problem during these outings. Kate doesn’t like her feet to be on the footrests of her wheelchair. She is quite strong, and the caregivers and I found that she stiffens her legs when we attempt to place each foot on its rest. We almost always succeed, but she protests loudly, something that stands out in our quiet hallways. Several times we’ve had to return to the apartment before going very far. When we succeed, she often takes one foot (her left) off the rest and drags it along the floor. That creates a safety hazard for Kate and also makes it decidedly more difficult to push the wheelchair.
I explored ways to address the problem for several weeks and didn’t find just the right thing. My initial thinking focused on the fact that it was her left leg that was the bigger problem and that it gradually worked its way to the right until the foot fell to the floor between the two footrests.
I talked with someone at a local medical supply store who wasn’t encouraging. He told me there are boards that are designed to be installed across both footrests, but he indicated a number of problems with them. Then I began to consider why Kate had so much trouble getting her feet on the rests to start with.
For months I noticed that she keeps her legs crossed while she is in bed. Since she is in bed about 18 hours a day, I wondered if she had experienced
muscle deterioration. A number of times I thought about having a physical therapist come out for an evaluation. I mentioned this to Kate’s doctor during her appointment two weeks ago. He took action for me and requested both a physical and an occupational therapist.
Before the PT’s first visit with Kate, I decided to check on Amazon for footrests that might address our problem. I found what looked like a potential solution the day the PT came. It’s a solid footrest that sits on top of the existing footrests and has a raised padded portion against which her calves can rest. I showed it to the PT who thought it was worth a try. I ordered it immediately, and it came in the next day. It works beautifully. We’ve used it four days in a row without a problem. When we put Kate in the wheelchair, her feet rest naturally on the new footrest. More importantly, she must feel comfortable because she keeps them there. That has made life much easier for Kate, her caregivers, and for me.
But, wait, there’s more. It turns out the therapist himself is the best I can imagine. He seems quite young but combines several important qualities, his knowledge, bedside manner with Kate, and a desire to explain what he does and why. In addition, he is able to explain in non-technical terms what the caregivers and I should do to build on what he does.
As it turns out, we found a way to keep Kate’s feet on her footrest as well as a physical therapist who is helping us acquire a reasonable set of expectations for someone in her physical condition. She is quite strong, but she is not going to walk again, and we’re not likely to need much PT. Although I had held this assumption previously, it was good to hear it from an expert. He also offers good tips for everyday care. Now, we’re ready to face whatever new issues arise, and I know they will.
