Meg Johnson, a quadriplegic with limited hand function, shares videos of how she accomplishes certain independent living tasks post injury to be a resource for others in similar situations.
“There is no major difference between relearning how to drive a car and relearning how to pick your nose. They are both equally as difficult, so I learned things one by one, little by little, and conquered one by one, little by little, until I can do almost everything all by myself.”
Meg admits that bed transfers were one of the most difficult maneuvers to relearn. She breaks the transfer down into these steps:
Meg positions her wheelchair at the end of her bed. Then using a slide board, she raises her leg that is closest to the bed, and wedges the board underneath her thigh. The board is now halfway underneath her, and halfway onto the bed. She then leans forward and with one hand on her seat cushion and the other on the bed, she pushes off of the cushion, twisting her body to the direction of the bed. The slide board makes it easier for her to do a swift motion on the bed, and makes it to where she does not have to pick her body up with her arms.
Once Meg is in a seated on the bed, she then moves her legs on the bed. She does this by hooking her arm underneath each leg, one at a time, and bringing them into the seat of her wheelchair, which is still positioned beside the bed. The slideboard remains underneath her and acts as a solid surface, bridging the gap between the bed and wheelchair. Meg removes the slideboard by crossing her legs while they are still laid on the wheelchair cushion, leaning on an elbow to one side, and pulling the slide board out with the free hand. She then uses her arms to move backwards on the bed, and then she say’s ready to sleep!
Do you find this transfer technique helpful? Know someone that could benefit from learning it? Share it with your friends!