A Place for Mom's Family

As one enters a nursing home, either as a new resident or a visitor, observe how many residents are sitting in wheelchairs.  Do you wonder why they are just sitting there and not actively engaged in the activities the facility might provide?  As you walk toward the dining room are there enough regular chairs for all of the residetns to sit in while they dine?  As nursing homes are moving toward culture change and Advancing Excellence, why are wheelchairs still used for extended seating?

Wheelchairs were originally developed as transport chairs to get a patient from one place to another and back  again and were never designed to be used for extended seating.  If a resident is found to be at risk for falls, instead of placing that resident back into physical therapy to strengthen their legs, they are often placed into a wheelchair , often with a chair alarm and within three weeks, according to many physical therapists, will never be able to walk again without extensive therapy.

And when a resident is pushed to the dining room, why can't they be transferred to a regular chair, not only to return dignity to them, but to also give them some exercise by shifting their weight by having them stand up for a few minutes.  Many  facilities offer "walk to dine" programs which assist the resident in returning to functional mobility.  Residents do not have to sit in wheelchairs in order to eat, in fact a wheelchair is very uncomfortable to sit in for extended periods of time. 

 I feel that wheelchairs need to be assessed prior to placing an elderly person into one, and if the person does not need a wheelchair, the facility should find a less restrictive device for that resident to use, such as a walker/chair combination, a standard walker, or a cane and encourage that resident to get up and walk.  Wheelchairs should be considered a restraint, if the resident cannot get out of the wheelchair unassisted. and charted as such.

When looking for a nursing home for your loved one, look at all the obivous signs in the facility, but don't forget to look at wheelchair usage and ask them why so many residents are in wheelchairs, if overuse seems to be the norm.    

This is a great subject and a very insightful post.  I doubt this issue is confined to nursing homes.  It's worth asking about in assisted living communitites, residential care homes and of home care providers as well.

The challenge is the safety question.  If one in four seniors with a hip fracture die within a year of that fall (per recent USA Today article), I can understand why care providers may err on the side of caution. If it's safer and easier to have someone in a wheelchair, it's a tough argument to fight for helping them walk instead. 

 But I certainly hope my care provider will fight for it when it's my turn!

 

Elders become weak according to the age. They need wheelchair at particular stage, but it is not compulsory. Walking is the best way to recover, by walking elder will get proper oxygen and that will be good for them. So it is responsibility of caretaker that elder will less use wheelchair.

Nice observation. You're right, nursing homes or assisted living facilities should assess first if their residents need to use a wheelchair. There are some who prefer to exercise the little independence they have by walking and exploring the facility with little help. It's nice to give the elderly even a little bit of freedom, create activities for them, keep them busy and make them feel that they are at home. I guess this is one of the things family members should look closely into especially if their loved one doesn't need to use a wheelchair.

 Many  facilities offer "walk to dine" programs which assist the resident in returning to functional mobility.  Residents do not have to sit in wheelchairs in order to eat, in fact a wheelchair is very uncomfortable to sit in for extended periods of time. 

That's actually a very good observation. Whenever one speaks of nursing homes, the image that pops into people's minds are often seniors in their wheelchairs or in their beds. I agree that nursing homes should rehabilitate, or encourage these residents in order for them to leave their wheelchairs, engage in activities and become more active. That can boost their confidence and morale

 Exceptional post here. Very good observation.

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Good points! I personally believe that wheelchair is an important medical aid available to those with limited mobility and it can actually improve the lives of many elders. Take note, however, that the choice of wheelchair should depend on the way in which the chair will be used and the particular functional limitations of the user.