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I am the caregiver for may husband. Age 74 weight 220 lbs. I can take care of everything else. He is also a dialysis patient. I take him to dialysis 3 times a week.

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I want to extend my support to your caregiving. My recommendation is to request that your husband's doctor provide a doctor's order for a Physical Therapist home evaluation (if the need is for safe transfers and mobility) and/or Occupational Therapist, if the need is to address your husband's goals of safety and independence with daily living skills such as: dressing, bathing, hygiene, preparing light meals, home management, emergency access, functional transfers/mobility, etc. The doctor's office can fax the order to a Visiting Nurse Association of your choice. This is Medicare Part A reimbursable (home bound criteria-except for medical appointments, church-check with VNA for specifics) - or Medicare Part B reimbursable outpatient services (some facilities will send professionals to your home). Please request the most experienced therapist. Your situation is a family issue, and it is most important that you maintain your health, safety, and well being, so you can continue to safely care for your husband. An experienced therapist can assess you (indirectly), and your husband, to determine what both of your goals are, and to help develop a patient/family- centered plan. There are many options, but it is most important that you, and/or your husband don't become injured during transfers and mobility. The therapist can help order the recommended equipment, and assess the transfers in your home, to assure that you are both safe and independent during transfers/mobility. I believe this will be a good start to developing a positive outcome for you and your husband, while remaining safe at home during transfers and mobility. I wish you both the very best.
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OTJenn- great, great answer! Keep away from a hoyer as long as safely possible. Where a person isn't using their muscles they will lose muscle tone and be in worse shape. Some further details would be helpful. Are you talking chair, bed, tub, car transfers? Is repositioning in bed a problem? Many times a lightweight spouse is getting out of a dead sleep and rolling their partner around 6-10 times a night 7 days a week- who can do that forever? Does he have upper body strength? I assume he is using a wheelchair- how much trustworthy leg strength does he have? How much help can you safely supply? There are many assistive products that could help- I also see many new items at national tradeshows most people don't know about. I would be glad to offer suggestions- if you don't feel comfortable posting details we could talk offline.
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That's good advice OTJenn. She didn't say if he could stand up, so it's not clear what he needs, but regarding the Hoyer lift, I use it by myself and find it very easy to use.
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A Hoyer Lift, as mentioned above, is what we use in hospitals.

I have had homebound patients who are bed bound & require assistance to be moved, get one.
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As a therapist, I would recommend an evaluation to determine what he needs and get you trained for it. I would ask his Dr. for an order and see what needs are.and use his part B beneftis for this. Problem is, you don't want him to lose what he has. If he can stand up then he needs to do that and you could use an extra large gait belt and be taught to safely guide him to chair if you have that capability. Using a hoyer lift is an absolute last resort and can be very difficult for a single person as well as you need to have one rented for you. Sliding boards are also great but again, you need training and if you husband can stand he needs to continue to use his legs. there are also transfer "disc"s that you can have him stand on and he can be guided and not have to move his legs...many options, So bottom line, get your husband and yourself assessed.trained and be safe!! good luck.
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Get a Hoyer lift. I got one to transfer my husband from bed to chair, chair to car, chair to bedside commode. It is a life saver for the caregiver.
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Have you ever used a slide board to transfer from a wheelchair to a chair, and vice versa? My father made 2 for my mother; they really helped.
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