As your senior parent gets older they may need help getting into or out of bed, onto a chair or the couch, or getting from bed to the bathroom. If your senior parent has had surgery, an injury, or they are recovering from a heart attack or stroke, they could need this type of help for some months after they come home.
Transferring your senior parent is more than just awkward. It can cause you and your parent serious physical injuries. If your senior parent is much taller or heavier than you it could be that you need more than one person to help you safely transfer them.
And unless you have the right equipment and training you could injure them or yourself. Some of the common injuries caregivers end up with from trying to transfer a parent are:
Muscle Strains and Sprains
Lifting or transferring a senior without knowing techniques that protect the back, neck, and legs can lead to muscle strains or sprains in the caregiver’s back, shoulders, or legs.
Back Injuries
Improper lifting techniques or repetitive lifting can cause back injuries such as herniated discs, vertebral fractures, or sciatica. Sometimes these injuries can be severe or cause permanent damage.
Shoulder Injuries
Constantly supporting the weight of a senior’s body during transfers can strain the caregiver’s shoulder muscles or lead to rotator cuff injuries.
Knee Injuries
Kneeling or squatting during transfers can put stress on the caregiver’s knees, leading to injuries such as strains, tears, or tendonitis.
Joint Pain
If family caregivers need to transfer seniors multiple times a day every day the repetitive nature of assisting with transfers can cause joint pain, particularly in the hips, knees, and wrists.
Falls
Seniors can fall during the transfer if caregivers aren’t using the right equipment, or if they aren’t physically strong enough to support the senior’s weight. Caregivers who are older than 45, or who are not in great health themselves often fall while trying to transfer a senior loved one.
Fractures
Seniors can suffer from broken bones, severe bruising, and other injuries if the transfer doesn’t go well. But personal care at home can make transferring easier.
Personal Care At Home Can Help
When you have personal care at home for a senior parent a caregiver that is trained in different techniques that can make transferring safe and easy will come to your senior parent’s house daily to help get them situated. They will have the knowledge and experience to expertly transfer your senior parent where they need to be.
Personal care at home also can include helping your senior parent with hygiene tasks like bathing or showering, washing their hair, brushing their teeth, and getting dressed. If you have a hard time helping your senior parent with any personal care tasks then personal care at home is what you need.
If your senior can no longer easily get up and move around on their own, or if you senior parent is coming home from the hospital and will need help transferring while they recover call today.