yep gotta agree here...but on the in & out of bed? i have a sure hands...i can get me up & down but i can't move it along the track
Eric W Rudd [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: bob quinn To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, December 14, 2009 9:09 PM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Listen to Dan! As he points-out and others will also, there are many alternatives to moving into a nursing-home. I'm a c5/c6 quad with decent mobility in both arms and i live alone in my house. I have help each morning for 3 hours, and no help the rest of the day. I keep my cell phone charged and with me always for back-up, but have made only two calls for help in the 4 years i've been here (one fall, one stuck-in-the-mud). I use a "Handi Move" power lift on a track in my bedroom to get into bed at night by myself (fully clothed). I can also use it to get out of bed and into my chair at night if I need to. At 06:49 PM 12/14/2009, Dan wrote: Good God man! A nursing home has to be your absolute last option. Nursing homes are breeding grounds for pressure sores and antibiotic resistant bacteria. They are understaffed and their help is underpaid which leads to the worst possible care. I am a high-level quad -- I can only use part of my left arm and that is very weak. I live alone in the old family homestead. I have helped during the day but at night I am totally alone. I have two lifeline buttons -- in case one doesn't work -- but otherwise I am alone. I know there is at least one other high-level quad on this list that also lives alone. Yes, it can be very scary but I prefer to be alternatives. Some of your alternatives -- besides the nursing home -- are, if you have the room, getting a live-in aide. You could provide him or her with free room and board providing they assist you during the night if need be. Of course, you could end up with an angel or a devil. Also, I had a quad friend level 5/6 who lived in an apartment complex. It was built for the elderly and disabled. He was the only disabled one in the complex but he made friends with many of the other residents. At night he was alone so he kept his door open and was able to call for help during the night if he had to. The other option we have in this area is a housing complex strictly for the disabled. It has 24 apartments. Everyone has their own PCA's and they also have a shared PCA for the nighttime. Not a really bad option but it is very clicky. So those are my options. Keep us informed on your choices and/or decisions. Dan At 05:16 PM 12/14/2009, Merrill said something that elicited my response: Presently living in San Diego, California. My spinal injury is C5. Single living is not an option with my level of disability. As many other disabled quadriplegics, my income is a base level even before paying for health care. So, how are others here maintaining a quality of life. Nursing home living has been avoided for the near 20 years of my disability, but perhaps an acceptable facility would be an option. I have considered a living situation with a caregiver, other disabled person, or other person right for my needs.
