Jean’s story: I have not been this comfortable in seven years

Description of case:

Jean is a 68-year-old woman who lives with her husband in their own home and has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which has had a major impact on her mobility and strength. Jean has also had to undergo four surgeries on her lower back, including a spinal fusion. Jean is able to transfer off her chair with the support of a riser function and mobilise with the aid of her walking frame, however her range of movement and functional levels are limited and she is dependent on her husband to assist with many daily tasks. Her sitting position and associated comfort are also causing problems.

Main issues:

One of the most significant challenges for Jean and her husband was to ensure Jean remained safe in her chair. Jean had a riser recliner prescribed by an Occupational Therapist, with a gel cushion placed on top. Jean reported that she had red skin on her buttocks which was causing her to be very uncomfortable, and her skin was very sore. Jean advised that she was unable to maintain a safe upright position in the chair and throughout the day she would find herself leaning more and more to one side or the other. She became very uncomfortable as the cushion slid forward, and she felt very unsupported in the chair.

Unfortunately, Jean did not have the strength to retain or regain an upright position independently, and she required the support of her husband to place cushions around her and reposition these throughout the day to help bring Jean back into a neutral position.

Intervention:

A small Configura Comfort chair was trialled to help overcome the issues of sitting position and comfort. This dual motor riser recliner was the exact size required and enabled Jean to obtain support from the floor, armrests, backrest and seat base, which all assisted Jean to maintain a good upright sitting position in the chair. In addition, the built-in visco foam pressure prevention cushion negated the need to place a loose cushion on top, providing a more stable base of support as well as much needed comfort. The gravity of the tilt-in-space function also encouraged Jean to retain a good upright position; she reported that she no longer leaned to one side or the other and felt very well-supported in the chair.

Outcomes:

Jean’s husband advised that the Configura Comfort chair has made a huge difference to him as he is no longer having to prop her up with cushions throughout the day. Jean advised that after a very short period of time using the Configura Comfort chair she no longer experienced any discomfort on her buttocks and the red areas were no longer visible. Jean advised that she had not been this comfortable in seven years.