Condition:
- Lung cancer
- Pressure sore on sacrum
Challenges
- Leans to one side in chair
- Slipping off chair
- Decreased mobility
Solution
- Configura Rise & Recline
Functional benefits
- Bespoke chair size
- Lateral support
- Tilt-in-space function
- Integrated air cushion
- Leg raise function
Description of case:
80-year-old Martin is being treated for lung cancer. The palliative care team provides Martin and his family with support at home. Martin is experiencing significant fatigue and weakness, he tires very quickly when sitting out in his current armchair and he is unable to retain an appropriate upright seated position. This has also resulted in difficulty pushing himself up to stand. Due to poor mobility and rapid weight loss, Martin is now being treated for a pressure sore on his sacrum.
Main issues:
Due to reduced strength, Martin is unable to retain an upright seated position in his existing chair as it does not provide adequate postural support. Martin therefore tends to lean significantly to one side, which causes him great discomfort. A pressure cushion was provided to assist with the management of his pressure sore, however this raised the height of the seat and reduced his stability, causing Martin to slip off the chair on more than one occasion. His poor posture and weakness have caused him great difficulty with his standing transfers and he is now dependent on the assistance of his wife.
Intervention:
Martin required specialist seating which could incorporate appropriate pressure relief and postural support. The modular design of the Configura Rise & Recline chair allowed the chair to be set up according to Martin’s seat depth, popliteal height and width. An airflow cushion was integrated into the seat base to replace the existing cushion and an adjustable lateral support backrest was fitted to replace the waterfall backrest.
Outcomes:
Once Martin was sitting in the chair, the lateral supports were adjusted to accommodate his needs; this along with the tilt-in-space function provided the additional support required to obtain and retain an appropriate, upright seated position. The integrated, interchangeable pressure cushion enabled Martin to have the appropriate pressure management he required without compromising his sitting balance, and the riser function enabled him to manage his standing transfers independently once again. Martin reported that the chair felt very comfortable.
