Are you sure you want to exit? Your progress will be lost.
Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
✔
I acknowledge and authorize
✔
I consent to the collection of my consumer health data.*
✔
I consent to the sharing of my consumer health data with qualified home care agencies.*
*If I am consenting on behalf of someone else, I have the proper authorization to do so. By clicking Get My Results, you agree to our Privacy Policy. You also consent to receive calls and texts, which may be autodialed, from us and our customer communities. Your consent is not a condition to using our service. Please visit our Terms of Use. for information about our privacy practices.
Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
They do have the pull up type that are just like underwear. I found they were much easier to use. If they are soiled or wet you just tear the sides to remove. if he is bed ridden then these are probably not an option, so what you should for easier changes you should place a folded sheet or a pad on his bed under neath of him. You grab the edge of the pad form the far side if you need to turn him towards you. When you need to turn him in the opposite direction away from you you do the same with the side close to you. Pay careful attention to the pad not to be creased underneath of him as this can cause bed sores. Hope this helps
If he is mobile, purchase a gait belt to assist you in maneuvering...this will help to safe guard you both. If he is not mobile and is bed-ridden, please speak with your health provider and ask that someone assist you in setting up his bed like it would be if he were in a health care facility. Then have them run through the proper method of helping him (you can actually ask this of your dad's provider in showing you how to best utilize the gait belt). Your physical well-being is at as a great a risk as your dad's...all you need is to pull your back out and then where will you be? I'm so glad you asked the question, maybe we can prevent you from getting hurt as you take care of your dad (commendable by the way). Please keep us informed on your progress with your provider (I would like to think that they will be more than happy to assist you).
Like freelancewriter said, a gait belt is a must-have for people who are difficult to transfer. It allows you to hang onto him (usually in the back) without throwing off his balance. I always found that it was easier to do clean up from the toilet.
If you don't have one already, invest in a raised toilet seat. This will make his transfer from a wheelchair to the commode much smoother as they are about the same height. Plus, you won't have to lift your dad up so far as if he were sitting on just a toilet. It makes transferring much easier.
Installing some grab bars in the bathroom for your dad to hang onto will help as well.
And pull-up diapers, as was mentioned before, are great. While you're transferring your dad to the toilet to clean him up you can pull his pants down very easily with pull-up diapers. Dad can sit on the commode while you undress him and clean him up. If you need him to stand up for a second while you clean his behind just help him stand for a few seconds with the belt or you can lace your arm through his underarm. Once he's clean ease him back onto the raised toilet. Put on a fresh diaper, pull up his pants to his knees and as you help him stand to transfer him back to the wheelchair, yank his diaper and pants back up. Always make sure he's wearing shoes so his feet don't slip out from underneath him.
Some people prefer to change a diaper and do a clean up in the bed but I've always found this awkward and more work. For me, it's easier to do it from the toilet. But that's if the person isn't bedbound.
No matter what the weight, grown people are difficult to transfer and we have to take our own health into consideration and not haul people around if it's going to injure our backs. Gait belts, grab bars and other assistive devices aren't just there for the convenience of our loved ones but for us as well.
You do not say what you are using, but what I bought was a port-a-potty they are about $45 at the drug store. And they are adjustable in height. Then I go to Walmart and in the camping section they have biobags for camping toilets, I use these so I don't to do the cleaning of the container. I use one bag every day or two.
Then like one other person said, you want to get a gait belt, they are about $25 and can be good for holding on the individual. I find it helps me move my mom.
There are also underwear that have straps on both sides that might help and be easier to put on.
Other tips would be roll your dad to one side to put the underwear underneath him and roll him to do the other side.
In terms of padding, I use dog pee pads, they are just as good as the ones for adults but cheaper. I had some adult pads and they are very bulky, but we like the dog training pads, we call them pee pads. But you can get 50 of them at Walgreens for $9.99 and when they are on sale we get 2 for $15. For us these work better and save us money.
I don't know if money is a factor, but we get creative in what we do and work to save money.
With the port-a-potty, we can put it close to mom's bed and she can swing her legs out and use it as a walker. With the port-a-potty chair and the tools I mentioned we use this for my mom and my mom weighs about 200 pounds now perhaps more, she is not tall.
Also just so you know I have been doing this for 2 years. My mom has a broken leg that is not going to heal so she cannot walk on it and she has trouble standing on it. So she has no real major mobility of any kind. And now mom has Alzheimer's on top of everything.
So I understand mobility issues. My husband and I have gotten creative with her mobility issues to where we can travel with mom using our F250 and in a 5th wheel.
When it comes to bathing, we use a dishpan and she does the wash rag bathing until we are in a place with a handicap roll in shower. My mom's bathroom doorway is not wide enough for her wheelchair so her bathroom is off limits to her completely.
I wash her hair using a spray bottle and no rinse shampoo. I wet her hair and use a wash rag to scrub her head. Then I use the spray bottle to rinse and use a towel to dry. But I do take her to a hair dresser for hair cuts and they wash her hair from the wheelchair she is in.
But these are the tools I use, so we can assist my mom. If you have more questions, I am happy to share anything else we use. Like I said my mom has little to no mobility and we have been at this for 2 years so far, we are always looking for new creative ways of doing things. These have worked for us and we have not had bed sores or other challenges.
If you could use a laugh, we were on the road traveling when my mom had to go potty and there was no rest area in site. We stopped under an overpass and took mom potty on her potty chair. We used a blanket to hide her and her behind the wheel and door. We laughed and so did she, because when I was a small girl, she would make me use a coffee can by the wheel of the car. So we had a good laugh about that experience, but mom's potty chair has been with us to many places including cruises. If you don't have one it saves time and solves lots of problems.
The plastic donuts on toilets are popular but don't help in lifting. The flimsy railings you see in stores are scary. If he needs an assist there is a product that lifts the toilet seat 13" and tilts forward like a liftchair. Also has a sturdy railing that rises along with it so if he has any strength in the good leg he could stabilize himself while you assist with pullups, pants, etc. Google Stand Aid or connect me for more info as I am familar with them. They also have a commode version for bedside use.
All your information is so helpful. I'm worried when I have to start wiping my mother when she goes number 2 because she doesn't do a very good job, but she says she does. So stubborn. She also has a riser and a potty chair. The riser helps with when she pees, it would go thru the chair because it was so high up and had a gap. So I bought the riser to take up the space. But the riser smells so bad. It's hard plastic I smell it every time I come out of my bedroom. Does anyone know how to get rid of the smell? I've use Clorox wipes, but still smells. Also the doctor can't find a pain pill she can take without side effects like sleepiness or depression. Any ideas? She's in a lot of pain from a broken hip 2 yrs ago and degenerated discs. And she also has dementia. She said this morning that I took and washed her nightgown, but I didn't. It's on her bed. But it's not the one she always wears she said. And she's always cold in 90 degree weather and we are sweating. So I tell her to put on a sweater or blanket. But won't do it. I don't know how much more I can take. But I'm not as bad off as some of you wonderful people here. I went to a support group, a whole 4 people showed up. Not very informative. I get more info here. Thank you and keep up the good work. Bless you all.
SuziQ, first what I do is use baby wipes to clean my mom's rear when does her business. I have found baby wipes are gentler and do a better job than regular toilet paper.
When it comes to cleaning things, I would take the riser off and put it in a bathtub of bleach. I take mom's port-a-potty and put it in the bathtub with hot bleach water.
My mom is always cold even when it is 90 outside. I think it has to do with her circulation, we just have her wear a sweater.
As for the pain, I am sorry that I can't help you with that, what does her doctor say?
My mom is in Stage 4 Alzheimer's and my mom get very mouthy at times. This morning mom woke up in what I call, "I want it my way" mood. She wants to do everything her way and she doesn't want to listen. Every time she waked up we don't know what we get.
I am fortunate that I have a friend that is now caring for her mom and I have other friends that have cared for their parents, so we have created our own support group. Plus the nice people on this site.
Oh another tip, I forgot is get some Destin to use. If you are going to use any type of underwear like Depends, personally, I like the Walgreen's brand better. But if your loved one is going to wear the underwear of any kind like Depends, you will want to have some Destin.
My mom gets a bit irritated sometimes because she wets herself while sleeping and even though we change right away when she wakes up, it gets a bit sore. We have tried other brands, but Destin does the best work.
SuziQ, on those days, tell her you love her and tell her you're sorry her life is so unpleasant. That might soften her up a bit. It's a hard job, isn't it?
I use Fresh Again for the incontinent smell. Can be sprayed on the toilet or in the air. Also Calmoseptine Ointment for the diaper rash. I buy these items from NorthShore Care Supply but most likely you can buy from the drugstore. I use online shopping because I can buy in bulk and find it cheaper. Also hard for me to get out and about.
One other thing is I double diaper quite often and it makes it much easier to rip one diaper off when dirty and pull up the clean one. Just add another diaper when you can undress. Learned from one of my caregivers.
I attend a support group which is quite large and I find difficult to share with so many. Hopefully in time I can. I love this site as I learn so much and all of you are Saints for doing what you do.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
If you don't have one already, invest in a raised toilet seat. This will make his transfer from a wheelchair to the commode much smoother as they are about the same height. Plus, you won't have to lift your dad up so far as if he were sitting on just a toilet. It makes transferring much easier.
Installing some grab bars in the bathroom for your dad to hang onto will help as well.
And pull-up diapers, as was mentioned before, are great. While you're transferring your dad to the toilet to clean him up you can pull his pants down very easily with pull-up diapers. Dad can sit on the commode while you undress him and clean him up. If you need him to stand up for a second while you clean his behind just help him stand for a few seconds with the belt or you can lace your arm through his underarm. Once he's clean ease him back onto the raised toilet. Put on a fresh diaper, pull up his pants to his knees and as you help him stand to transfer him back to the wheelchair, yank his diaper and pants back up. Always make sure he's wearing shoes so his feet don't slip out from underneath him.
Some people prefer to change a diaper and do a clean up in the bed but I've always found this awkward and more work. For me, it's easier to do it from the toilet. But that's if the person isn't bedbound.
No matter what the weight, grown people are difficult to transfer and we have to take our own health into consideration and not haul people around if it's going to injure our backs. Gait belts, grab bars and other assistive devices aren't just there for the convenience of our loved ones but for us as well.
Then like one other person said, you want to get a gait belt, they are about $25 and can be good for holding on the individual. I find it helps me move my mom.
There are also underwear that have straps on both sides that might help and be easier to put on.
Other tips would be roll your dad to one side to put the underwear underneath him and roll him to do the other side.
In terms of padding, I use dog pee pads, they are just as good as the ones for adults but cheaper. I had some adult pads and they are very bulky, but we like the dog training pads, we call them pee pads. But you can get 50 of them at Walgreens for $9.99 and when they are on sale we get 2 for $15. For us these work better and save us money.
I don't know if money is a factor, but we get creative in what we do and work to save money.
With the port-a-potty, we can put it close to mom's bed and she can swing her legs out and use it as a walker. With the port-a-potty chair and the tools I mentioned we use this for my mom and my mom weighs about 200 pounds now perhaps more, she is not tall.
Also just so you know I have been doing this for 2 years. My mom has a broken leg that is not going to heal so she cannot walk on it and she has trouble standing on it. So she has no real major mobility of any kind. And now mom has Alzheimer's on top of everything.
So I understand mobility issues. My husband and I have gotten creative with her mobility issues to where we can travel with mom using our F250 and in a 5th wheel.
When it comes to bathing, we use a dishpan and she does the wash rag bathing until we are in a place with a handicap roll in shower. My mom's bathroom doorway is not wide enough for her wheelchair so her bathroom is off limits to her completely.
I wash her hair using a spray bottle and no rinse shampoo. I wet her hair and use a wash rag to scrub her head. Then I use the spray bottle to rinse and use a towel to dry. But I do take her to a hair dresser for hair cuts and they wash her hair from the wheelchair she is in.
But these are the tools I use, so we can assist my mom. If you have more questions, I am happy to share anything else we use. Like I said my mom has little to no mobility and we have been at this for 2 years so far, we are always looking for new creative ways of doing things. These have worked for us and we have not had bed sores or other challenges.
If you could use a laugh, we were on the road traveling when my mom had to go potty and there was no rest area in site. We stopped under an overpass and took mom potty on her potty chair. We used a blanket to hide her and her behind the wheel and door. We laughed and so did she, because when I was a small girl, she would make me use a coffee can by the wheel of the car. So we had a good laugh about that experience, but mom's potty chair has been with us to many places including cruises. If you don't have one it saves time and solves lots of problems.
When it comes to cleaning things, I would take the riser off and put it in a bathtub of bleach. I take mom's port-a-potty and put it in the bathtub with hot bleach water.
My mom is always cold even when it is 90 outside. I think it has to do with her circulation, we just have her wear a sweater.
As for the pain, I am sorry that I can't help you with that, what does her doctor say?
My mom is in Stage 4 Alzheimer's and my mom get very mouthy at times. This morning mom woke up in what I call, "I want it my way" mood. She wants to do everything her way and she doesn't want to listen. Every time she waked up we don't know what we get.
I am fortunate that I have a friend that is now caring for her mom and I have other friends that have cared for their parents, so we have created our own support group. Plus the nice people on this site.
My mom gets a bit irritated sometimes because she wets herself while sleeping and even though we change right away when she wakes up, it gets a bit sore. We have tried other brands, but Destin does the best work.
Something else I forgot to mention.
I attend a support group which is quite large and I find difficult to share with so many. Hopefully in time I can. I love this site as I learn so much and all of you are Saints for doing what you do.