How to turn a patient in bed when patient outweighs caregiver?

You don't need any "special" sheet. Just take a flat sheet, fold it over twice, then place it underneath your son. When it is time to turn him, roll up one side and as you are rolling, pull toward yourself and lift up so the sheet does the turning. He can help by holding onto the side of the bed or get a bed with side rails which will help too. Since it is becoming more difficult for you, I also suggest you check into finding needed help. God bless you for caring for him!

Hi. I'm a small person and work in home health care, so I can relate to your question. I agree about using an ordinary flat sheet - and I for added slipperiness underneath, I put a few of those blue slippery pads that they use as disposable moisture barriers - but I put them the under the sliding sheet, the wrong way up, since I'm not using them for moisture barriers then, but to add slipperiness. And, it is a lot easier to turn someone when the bed is not soft, and does not sink down so much in the middle. Maybe a different mattress on the hospital bed, or some form of board thing (like they put under sagging sofa seats) underneath the mattress. I also used some kind of wedge, even rolled pillows to slide under the person when I had them part way rolled over, so I could rest and adjust my angle for the next part. You probably do that already. I like to use the light blue cloth pads they sell for moisture barriers - they are strong enough, come in many sizes, often slippery on the blue side. Also work with your son so that he will grab the bars on each side to help you - good to give him something to learn and help. Finally, with today's internet, look up hoists and slings. You’d think you might be able to hook up a different shaped sling to your Hoyer lift. Copy the design of the bed lift sling, get someone to sew you a new version. Maybe ask if the company in Australia can send you one of their electric lift turners, or ask their managers if they have any American contact companies. Keep asking - look for people with a similar problem, and ask anyone and look at options. You have an important problem, and a challenge in taking care of your son – best of luck! Keep coming back to share questions!

Have you had a home health evaluation lately? The doctor can order it for you. They have therapists that can come into your home to evaluate your situation. They know all about the various equipment that are available and how helpful they may be. They can also evaluate your wife when she is turning your son to make sure she doesn't injure her back.

Frequently, insurances will pay for the service. When I worked for home health, we used to make a visit at no charge to evaluate the situation and let the family know if the services would be covered by insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. This might be a good option for you before you buy the equipment.
Best wishes to all of you.

Note to NK, Daddy49 - in case you don't know about using the ordinary sheet, folded - you put that on the bed (under where the heaviest parts of his body will lie) before your son is in the bed. And as I said, I put those slippery blue moisture disposable ones, with slippery side up, under the flat sheet when you put that on. So your son is lying on top of something flat underneath him, that is ready to pull easily, when you need to turn him. You can master this task if you experiment! Good luck!

We have a dual problem in that an injury has left me wheelchair bound with limited ambulation so I can't assist my wife who is the Caregiver. My adult step-son is severely mentally challenged as well as being severely disabled and is thus unable to assist my wife in turning him. We have an electric Hoyer Lift at home as I indicated however t I just found out about Flex-care Beds & Vendlet Beds . They are both automatic turning & sliding beds and I was considering purchasing one and was wondering if anyone had any experiences ( pro or con ) with these or other automatic turning/sliding beds ?

Yes and he we have a home hospital bed + an electric hoyer lift. I pay for United Health Care Insurance in addition to which he has Medicaid + Medicare. I usually say he has 3 million dollars worth of insurance + 4 million dollars worth of medical issues. He has CP, is profoundly mentally challenged, he is completely non-ambulatory and he has hydrocephalus. I doubt that insurance with pay more than little, if anything, toward automatic turning beds such as Flex-care bed or Vendlet bed but I am willing to purchase one of these beds if they will enable my wife to turn my step-son automatically in bed which is why I was hoping to find someone who had used these beds either in a hospital setting or at home ?

My dear fellow, it sounds as if your home is struggling! You don't say your age, but I wonder - I finally had to put my brother into a nursing home at 56, when his balance deteriorated and he could not live alone. I worried about his younger age, but I chose the home well: sitting on flat land so he walks with his walker to nearby church, and he is also transported to a brain injury program 4 days a week. He has felt stable with these supports on Medicaid. Your situation is different but you might look at nursing homes within easy travel for you and your wife, and at the same time, since he would be younger, find a day program he might attend a few days a week. It takes time and is not easy, but in the end, it is much better than me struggling to give inadequate care.

In general- please allow a person to "help themselves" as much as possible with whatever assistive products the person can handle. Much better for the person- more independence, comfort, and chance to use muscles. Reducing strain to the caregiver is critical to avoid disaster- especially important as the caregiver ages or if there is a big weight mismatch. AbleData.com has lots of products to check out (although the newer products I see aren't there yet).

Thanks - but the patient is severely physically & mentally challenged + is profoundly retarded and is unable to sit themselves up or move their legs or stand and has no grasp in their hands and has juxta-positioned thumbs and is unable to fully unclench fists but I will go to AbleData.com

I know this is over a year late but there is a turner sling in the US through prismmedicalinc it is called a tri-turner sling.