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She is now having difficulty standing even while holding grab bars in the bathroom. While in the bathroom, which is small and narrow, my mother, who is 97, is having difficulty pivoting (with caregiver's support) onto the toilet (which has a riser). She has edema in her legs/feet, osteoarthritis in her knee and is not weight-bearing. She is also bottom heavy and essentially "dead weight" when it comes to helping her pivot. We use a hoyer to transfer her from the wheelchair. She has grab bars to help her stand as we get her onto toilet. What can we do when she no longer can help us to move her onto the toilet? While doing pretty well otherwise, even the smallest transfers/pivots are becoming very difficult. She lives at home with my husband and me - no plans for a nursing home. Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions.

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Frankly, I'm amazed that you are able to handle her as things are now. You could call in an in-home agency and see how they handle her. Maybe you could then pick up some tips to use yourself. They get regular training, so they can be good teachers.
You say that there are no plans for a nursing home, but don't dig in so far that you injure yourself while transferring your mother. She wouldn't want to see you do that.
Good luck,
Carol
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Thanks for your feedback, Carol. As I mentioned, I and my mother's aides (one of from an agency, the other is private duty) do use the hoyer lift. However, when she has difficulty standing from edema related issues, it's quite difficult. Those are the times we take her to the bathroom. From the wheelchair she's assisted to standing and she holds the grab bars - she has remarkably strong hands. We have different "holding" techniques to help support her and get her onto the toilet riser. However, I'm wondering what I'll need to do if/when the time comes that standing is not an option. She had a TIA this weekend and was quite weak - nevertheless, her aide and I managed with some difficulty to get her on and off the toilet and back into the wheelchair. Hoyer to her lift chair. I'm pretty drained mentally and physically. Today, however, is a better day and the edema is much less.
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May be time for bedpan or adult diapers. Sounds like current situation won't last much longer due to safety issues as well as physical wellbeing of you both.

Good luck!
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