My 89 year old mom, who lives with me, has a hard time getting up steps. She is on one floor at my house, but Thanksgiving is coming up and my daughter is having it at her house. She has a whole flight of steps going into the house. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get her up the steps?
set up a tent outside snd bring the party downstairs
gait belts or harness
if they are not too steep and it’s only getting into the house … maybe a couple of pieces of plank wood, set up a “wheelchair ramp..
as the other post said.. stay home and welcome people in.. the cost will be a plate of leftovers…yum
Have you asked Mom how she would feel about being carried up the stairs ?
We used the wheelchair to get my father in law in my house a few times. It was only up one step to a large wide stoop and then up over the door sill. Father in law hated it . It scared him especially leaving and going back down . He felt like he was falling . We don’t do it anymore .
It’s very easy to snap some ribs in some senior women.
I'd consider letting the family know that I'll be staying at home this year. I wouldn't expect or want anyone to risk their own back (or a fall) to lift or carry me. If the family residences are reasonably nearby, I'd add that I'd welcome anyone who would like to drop by to say hello before or after dinner. I'd REALLY appreciate a plateful of TG goodies, too!
I did have two young men carry a 250# man/boy down a flight of cellar steps so he could enjoy a Christmas party. The steps were open ones. One of those two young men was my DH. He was in his early 30s. He and a cousin thought it was a good idea. The man/boy had Prader Willi Snydrome. Was challenged in many ways. Told my DH, never again.😊He would have done it again. For him, there is always a way. What made me mad was Aunt expected this. No concern for her son and my DH.
I do have a transport chair, so that may work.
1. Mom doesn't go: Daughter hosts TG in her house with stairs = Mom misses out.
2. Accessable venue: TG is held in a location Mom can access.
3. Split event: one big TG at daughter's. A smaller event held somewhere accessable (different house or resturant). Obviously at different times.
What's the most important factor? The location or the people?
A flight of stairs sounds like at least a dozen steps. When was the last time she attempted stairs? Was this last year at the same location? How did she do then? Has her mobility, her weight, her desire to attend shifted since then?
A chair plus the weight of 100 lbs is quiet a different ask than a 175 pounds. So there is that.
Reading online it is advised that a gait belt be used, that going up, lead with the strong foot and use a cane, coming down start with the weak foot.
Any relative that is asked to assist should be consulted well ahead of time and be physically approved to do this themself. With your osteoporosis I hope you aren’t her helper.
As an EMT volunteer you probably know the availability of firemen. What goes up, must come down and a thanksgiving dinner is not an emergency.
Sorry to be such a nervous Nellie.
Do let us know how it works out as we learn from one another.
Other than that, carrying her but that sounds pretty dangerous for everyone.
If these ideas here don't seem safe enough, which they probably aren't, then you might have to really change it up. Like you and mom get your meals delivered to your house. Or you go out to a nice restaurant, as someone else suggested. Sometimes we just can't continue with certain traditions, sad as that may be.
Best of luck.
I guess I need to put some thought into doing something different.
We can’t get my FIL in my house anymore . We bring food to him in AL.
When my mom was still living at her house I know that she had not gone down into her own basement in years because she could no longer do stairs.