18 - Sunday, November 4, 1990 — North Shore News Patience crucial for care-givers THAT HOUR and a half proved to be extremely fruitful, and comforting, as well. I'd gone 10) a) care-pivers meeting aut of a sense of duty, more or less — | realize Foam allowed space on this page in order to bring sou information about ageing, but some of what goes on in our declining years i> less than jolly ond 7 prefer the stories about wie positive, op- timistic stuff. Like what wonder- ful rales we have to tell, and what important lessons we have to pass on to heedless youth. So the workshop for care- givers, offered by the Norih Shore Care-Givers’ Society, didn’t raise my temperature one whit. Not on- ly do | not want to have to be one, ! don’t want to have to have one, When FE crept in at 10:30, Ann Finlay was just readying for her talk. Ann's a rehabilitation con- sultant, so it's a given that: she knows all about wheelchairs and electric beds and the latest thing in walkers. But to my delight’ she also knows how to embrace an audience, and how to engage their imaginations and stir up their em- pathies. She's obviously deeply concern- ed about the lot of the disabled, she’s made it her tife. However, her concern for these people ex- presses itself not in words of sympathy but in trying in all ways to boost their feelings of in- dependence and to preserve their dignity. It follows that there are some rules she feels irrevocable: If there isn’t time to do a thing properly, she says, then don’t do it at all. That’s number one. It is essential that impatience never be apparent. As well, one must learn to listen, to hear what is being spoken aloud but also to hear what is actually meant. The final rule, perhaps the most im- portant of all, is practising restraint, of yourself — don’t try to help too much. Encourage ef- fort, no matter how much longer it takes. It’s easy to understand the new emphasis on home care, it saves a lot of medical dollars, for one thing, but it also keeps the patient in the normal world, amongst fa- miliar faces against a familiar background. But dealing with helplessness can be exhausting and defeating work without some hos- pital accoutrements, or facsimiles of same. Ann had a whole lot of new appliances to show and to describe, but what she had to say about ‘‘on-hands’’ assistance to a weakened or disabled person was equally fascinating. That fireman’s grip we all use when we're intent on hauling some poor soul out of a chair, for instance — worst thing we could do. Worst for the victim, but worst for us, too, simply because the shoulder joint is being thoroughly punished. We hunker over and shove our shoulder into the person’s armpit and then brace ourselves for the heave. The ball and socket which is designed for manipulation takes a teal beating. The proper way is to give the seated person the pleasure of participating fully, being led to pulling herself up, rather than be- ing treated like a side of beef be- ing heaved into the cooler. The basic structure of the bed, or the chair that one is trying to leave, contributes greatly to the success of care-giving. Doesn’t mean you have to refurnish, just adjust, in lots of cases. Bed blocks, casily contrived, make bed-care infinitely easier on the nurse; telephone books, singly or stacked, make very suitable foot- rests. Slippery sheets allow the bed-ridden to slither casily, and lessen the danger of ulcers. Chairs, for bed-graduates, should do more than just support the buck and arms. The width and breadth of the seat are both crit- iwal, and the shape and position of the buck equally so. When the pa- tient sits, the hip and knee should be aligned, and there should be coom for three fingers between the back of the knee and the chair's leg. These are the conditions chat make the fireman's grip unneces- sary. Then the helper cau stand in front and offer a sturdy fore-arim at right angles to the patient, who is persuaded to Jean as far for- ward as possible, thus bringing the buttocks up. A good hold of the helper’s rivid arm will provide the pull-up needed to come ereet, with possibly a small back pressure from the helper’s other hand. No strain for either participant, and the patient feels the pleasure of having helped himself. That forward leaning is equally important for the return to the chair. Leaning forward, buttocks guided to the chair's seat. the pa- tient then simply leans back. If allowed just to plop down, it can THE VINTAGE YEARS mean a thacture of the spine. To prepare to make any move, Arn pointed out, it is well first to evhale with deliberation. It cases the movement. And when casing from chair or bed-side, it’s also a good idea to stand @ moment or To FUSE as a caution, We who aren't oentenced to them think of wheelchiurs as wheelchairs, but Anu pointed out the cange of construction and: id- ditional comforts that exist. Phere ean be a great build-up of heat from foam-filled upholstery -- it also breaks down over Gime. The use of one’s arms cin be seriously impeded by some designs, and cating from a chair’s lap-board can also interfere with Proper digesuon if incorrectly sited. Removable chair arms allaw for more dignified toilet use, and the whole machine should be cog. ularly serviced. just as your car is. The Red Cross offers the best of all the temporary chairs, she sass. Something that pleased me was learning that a request: in] North Vancouver for a curb-cut tor your wheelchair use will always be responded to, Powas also ghid to be given the proper wheelchair etiquette for pushers. [If you ever find yourself required to do this job, bear in mind that you should tell the person in the chair what you plan as sou go along — he can suffer great apprehension as the route unfolds and he worries how sou are gomg to handle it. And ilaass, always) back down Slopes, Io war abe mice te learn that there is substantial tinzncial help to be had. should vou become disabied or find yourself’ sheltering a disabled person. To heep remain in one’s own house there are Monies avathuble from the CHAMA, if fifty can be installed, for instance, of bathrooms moditicd for wheelchair use, As well as government aid, help is forthcoming from societies such as the Kinsmen and Lions Clubs and the Depanment of Veterans Affairs und the Cancer Society and GAIN. And a place like Davis Pharmacy is suggested for your vilt-gisin, for the disabled, More and more useful and entertaining appliances come on stream as people understand the needs and capabilities of handicapped and disabled people. Good thing I went. CAN-SKI invites you to ski anytime for $@99] wie me EROYSE ski DISCOUNT CARD YOU GET: MOUNTAIN © SKi ANYTIME FOR 9.99 ° FREE SKIING WITH A GUEST SUNDAY NIGHTS AFTER 5:00 PM. ¢ FREE SKYRIDE ACCESS VALID UNTIL OCTOBER 31, 1994 ¢ OTHER SKI DISCOUNT CARD PRIVILEGES 4. ATOMIC 3D70 SKI SALOMON 557 BINDING HOT WAX AND INSTALLATION 2. KASTLE TX-9 MARKER 27 LTD BINDING HOT WAX AND INSTALLATION 3. FISCHER SC4 KEVLAR Theres a new level of skiing calling t© you, so why not rise to the occasion? You can't learn to Ski in your own backyard, but were the next best thing. Sign up now for tne best selection of limes and early bird discounts through November 15. Get moving! HeadWay for Beginners You may not know a Chrishe tom Christmas, out youd be siting unger control, +n qust four lessons We guarantee: 1 Our proven short si method [alt sir equipment included} 1s tne ost beginners program anywhere Til Nov. 15-$449. VALUE: 538.99 229 99 VALUE 543.98 259°? MOUNTAIN GRO ll iN E SKI DISCOUNT CARD IS YOURS FREE! THAT'S RIGHT, THE GROUSE MOUNTAIN SKI DISCOUNT IS YOURS FREE (REG. VALUE $130.00) AS A BONUS WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY OF OUR SPECIALLY REDUCED DISCOUNT CARD ITEMS! OFFER ENDS NOV. 18, 5:00 PM. MidWay for Mastery Heres where skiing novices and infermedia'es Ocquire tne suits ana contaence to move from the miaale of tne pack fo Mastery of tne slopes No matter now long you've been stuck where you are now. atter four Sybervision enhorced sessions youll be making quantum leaps in your performance. TU Mev, 45 $139, TopNoich Advanced Training # youre Glteaay very good. IecNotcn ail help vou sia vour very best ntesuve forming am small grouns guaronices individual attention And SyberVision Assisted Coaching isa quick and effective means of perfecting your TH Nov. 45 $139 Just for Juniors Our fully sucervised ids Gragrams tet 714 year olds get G yur on the «ole of shung KiQs progress with ‘ner Own age QrOUD GN at inet Own sai! level Ana that makes G word of ottererce THI Nov, 45 $122 Cait Up, Ski Down Register Dy calting 980-621! ano use vour charge cara*. Or aroo by Grouse aw day of the week (or Can-Sei West Vancouver} But hurry. ne most poouiar days and times hil up fast * Amencan Eemress YateCars ac aA aj tet es ATOMIC 3D90 KASTLE RX15 EQUIPE ROSSIGNOL GUANTUM LTD DYNASTAR RADICAL KASTLE ACTION ROSSIGNOL 4SK ROSSIGNOL QUANTUM 9469 DYNASTAR CROSS COMP SALOMON 557 BINDING HOT WAX AND INSTALLATION 4. OYNASTAR VHP 997 CERAMIC. LOOK GX-5S BINDING HOT WAX AND INSTALLATION VALUE: 503.99 299 99 VALUE: 558.98 31 9 99 ROSSIGNOL 700 LANGE XTP/XSP SALOMON SX72 89/90 NORDICA 784 - BOOTS 379.99 429.99 394.99 384.99 ROSSIGNOL QUANTUM LTD MARKER M27 LTD BINDING HOT WAX AND INSTALLATION 6. ATOMIC SLC KEVLAR SALOMON 957 COMPIEQUIPE 89/90 HOT WAX AND INSTALLATION RAICHLE SLALOM/FLEX LADY 399.99 VALUE 553.98 349” 9 VALUE: 798.98 399° 9 LANGE XT4/XSI LADY NORDICA 881 SALOMON SX92 EQUIPE SKI WEAR — RECEIVE A SKI DISCOUNT ON ANY CLOTHING PURCHASE OVER $400.00 474.99 469.99 559.99 Also check out our two Whistler shops, Glacier Shop, Blackcomb 932-5709 ff 100 ial Greene Lodge, Whistler 932-1975 ‘0