Hospice delivered Bill's reclining wheelchair last night. I think it is going to work out good. I had him sit in it for awhile after dinner and was able to recline him enough that his head wasn't drooping down or hanging back when he fell asleep. It will recline all the way back so he could lay flat if needed. I was able to get it down the hall and into his bedroom with no more trouble than with a regular wheelchair. Just being able to change his position should help with pressure sores, too.
The aide is now coming five days a week in the mornings so she can get him into the chair and by having the hoyer lift I will leave the sling in the chair all day and use the lift to get him into bed at night. No more me having to pick him up to transfer him. Now all I have to do is fight with him to roll over so I can get him changed. He has this fear of falling off the bed even with the rails so he gets a death grip on the bars and won't let go.

I'll try to get a picture of Bill in his chair (if I can figure out how to get it here).

I talked to Bill's doctor yesterday and he said he would come out to see him either this weekend or next now that we're back home. He also recommended a place for me to take Bill for respite. He said it was a small facility and that Bill didn't need to be around a lot of people so this would work out well for him. He works with the facility and said to make sure to tell them that he said to call them. I just have to check with hospice to see if they have a contract with them to send respite patients there. The doctor said he wanted to make sure that Bill had a room available there every month. I'll talk to the social worker today to get things started for next month. Keep your fingers crossed that it works out.

Joyce,
This is how I do my pics on here:
Make up an account on www.photobucket.com it's free.

Download the pics you have to your computer and save them in your files.

Go into your photobucket account and click on albums and upload tab located on left side of screen. Make sure you have the little dot beside "from my computer" clicked.

Once the photos have downloaded, you will see different codes underneath the photos. Choose IMG Code and click on the code which is listed in the white box next it. It will automatically copy the code for you to paste into the message box here on ADcaregiver.com

Just paste the code in the box and then I always hit preview to make sure the photo showed up. If it shows up, hit the submit button and you are all set. If you have trouble, pm me and I will help you.

Take care and I am happy the wheel chair is working out well for you and Bill.

Sometimes I'm amazed at the things that are available! I'm glad you got the wheelchair!

Oh, Joyce, I had to laugh about Bill's death grip on the bed rail. My mom was the same way. I had to pry her fingers off the rail to get her rolled over. For 85 lbs. she had one strong grip.

The wheelchair is working out better than I ever expected. I got Bill up and into the chair this morning for breakfast. After breakfast, he always goes back to sleep. Now all I have to do is recline the chair and put a throw over him. No more having to lift hime out of the chair and into his recliner or back into the bed.
When he slides down in the chair, I just lower the back and with the aid of a draw sheet I have in the chair, I am able to slide him back up.

If anyone has a LO in a wheelchair all the time, I would highly recommend getting one. If you're using hospice, they will provide it. If no hospice, they start out at about $450 and up from there. The one hospice provided us with is like the one I was checking into buying and that one was $470 with a seat belt. You don't need all the bells and whistles that are on some of them. All you need is to make sure the back is high enough, elevating and removable foot rests and removable arm rests. The rest is all unnecessary extras and in our case would never be used.

Joyce,
That reclining wheelchair sounds so much easier for you and Bill both. So glad that there are options out there that are available for our needs. I wonder if medicare would pay for something like that for those who don't have hospice yet available to them? I don't need one yet of course, and sometimes it is needed I would think before hopice is available.

Something for many of us to probably look into. I know with mom, I have a feeling that she will be needing a wheelchair before her later stages kick in. Her knees are so very bad. When I have a chance, I may try to find out just in case.

Thanks for all the info you give us Joyce. Makes preparation for this so much easier.

Jackie