Confined to the Hoyer

It's been hard living in nursing homes for twenty-one years. I know I've lost strength and my muscles have tightened and shortened. At my first nursing home in the beginning I got therapy. Then the Restorative aides did stretching, exercising, balancing, and deep knee bends with me. But of course eventually that stopped. Restorative therapy changed and some of the aides didn't do much. They got us together in a group and we raised our legs and did what we could ourselves. I did as much as I could. It was not as bad as nothing but not that good either.

Sometimes at my first nursing home I would kind of boogie around when the aides assisted me to stand. I usually warned them. But, there were some aides who just wouldn't let me do it. I realize they didn't want to drop me. But I need to have a little joy too. For other aides it was fine and they would laugh or boogie with me. Life is too short not to have some time to have fun when some days things feel like drudgery. However, over time, because they were afraid I might fall, my boogieing ended.

The one bright spot was that for the 14 1/2 years I lived at my first nursing home I was able to get some of the aides to do a few range of motion exercises on many days. I guess it's a testament to my advocacy and to their caring.

When I moved to this nursing home, I never tried boogieing. This behavior facility is quite different. So many residents exhibit really "out there" behaviors that do not want me fooling around at their expense.

Still at times I'd bend and straighten my knees to loosen up, and sometimes to show frustration. Doing that was one thing that got me involuntarily discharged from my first nursing home. They felt I was trying to harm myself. I just wanted to move and show frustration, I never wanted to hurt myself or anyone else.

Here they have a hard time with me bending and straightening my knees. Even if I have a cramp, they will not let me. They want me to stand straight whenever they assist me to stand and transfer. Even If my feet accidentally end up 18 inches apart, I have to transfer in that awkward position

I know I should stop bending and straightening my knees. But my right knee and hip are stiff. My last occupational therapy evaluation says my right hip is fixed. Sometimes the aides have to push so hard on my right leg to bend it, that I get bruises. But, no therapy is done to assist me to be more limber. I am more supple after showers, (3 days a week), since warm water relaxes my muscles.

Yesterday after bending and straightening my knees I was told they have to use the Hoyer lift for all transfers. That is a very demoralizing thing to do to anyone. It's bad enough if it's a necessity. It's worse if it is used in the name of "safety" just to frighten me into compliance.

So I must deal with this Hoyer and wonder if I will be shipped to another nursing home involuntarily like I was to this one.