LO laying backward

notsosure

Question for the group.  My father recently started leaning backwards (stiffening his back) while sitting in his wheelchair and anytime I try transferring him from the wheelchair to bed (visa-versa).  Shortly before this, he no longer tries using his legs to stand up (he was able to stand/walk short distances but won't now).  When I lift him (using gait belt), he starts moaning and "cries".  After sitting him down, I ask him if he's hurting anywhere and he looks at me and say no (as if nothing even happened).

Just curious if anyone else has encountered this?

SusanB-dil

We have not encountered, but maybe check with his PrimeDoc.  Could be anything from his back bothering him to digestive issues?

MN Chickadee

I would get him to his physician asap for some lab work. A sudden change like that warrants a check for various infection, especially UTI. They can present very oddly in PWD, many have a change in cognition, a fall, behavioral changes, or loss of skills. A UTI that spreads and reaches the kidneys would cause intense back pain. The doctor should also look him over for other injuries or issues. My mother with Alz could never accurately describe pain. Even times after a fall when it was perfectly obvious she should be in pain she would deny it as usual. I don't know if their brain actually feels it differently or they just can't communicate it or both, but I wouldn't take his word for it. Get him in for blood and urine sample before assuming it's progression of the disease. Could be the case, they get weak and stiffen up as they reach end stages, but I would first rule out other physical causes.

mommyandme (m&m)

My mom leans back when I’m trying to get her up to stand and use her walker.  I often have to start the walker going forward so she’ll start to move forward.  Sometimes it’s because she doesn’t feel confident, sometimes it’s because she’s resistant to what we’re gonna do when we get up to walk and/or she’s not keen on me controlling things.  She also often leans back while sitting on the edge of her bed.  I’m constantly telling her something like she’s needs to stand on her own two legs, she needs to help me help her…blah blah blah.  Ive had to slip in behind her, between she and the chair, hold her up with my body to start the forward momentum too. It also seems that she just resists to resist by stiffening up or not pushing up with her legs. 

My moms issue is not a medical issue for now. She’s just hesitant for the most part.  Of course ruling out a medical issue is important as others have said. 

None of this is easy, hope you find the solution that helps.

May flowers

My situation with my FIL is just like M&Ms, not medical, completely cognitive. He leans back and we have to walk him forward with him leaning on us - and he complains that we are pushing him. When there are two of us, I get in front and lead him with his hand, and DH stays behind him for when he starts walking/leaning backwards. For whatever reason, he walks better this way, but I don’t always have 2 people.

He also is trying his darndest to stand up, but doesn’t want help. So he will do the up and down on the edge of the chair for hours. Sometimes he makes it to standing, but plunks back down in the chair. I offer to help repeatedly but no luck so I just “stand by”. There is no distraction that works to keep him from doing it. I do like that he is moving and it is good for his circulation, his core, and helps prevent bed sores

In the mornings I get him on the edge of the bed, and he says to not help, but if I let go, he falls back on the bed. He also hates getting his pants/pull ups pulled up or down. He gets the death grip on them and it is very hard to hold him, pull down the pants, and dislodge his grip while not losing our balance. 

We are getting a hoyer lift. It isn’t that I don’t want him to stand, but I have to find a way to transfer him to the toilet when I’m here alone. I cannot support his weight for long. I still don’t know how we get the pants up and down with the lift.