Len Nixon is a bariatric gentlemen, approaching 400lbs. After suffering a stroke, Len found himself being admitted to hospital in Belleville, Ontario*.
Because of Len’s bariatric condition he had been spending most of his day in bed in hospital, occasionally being transferred by a lift to a chair to sit upright for a short while. The chair he was using wasn't very suitable for Len, in fact he claimed he was very uncomfortable and as a result he didn’t want to get up much to sit in it.
TRIAL A BARIATRIC SORRENTO CHAIR FOR FREE!
It’s been proven that sitting up as opposed to laying down is beneficial to speeding up the recovery process so it was imperative to Len's health and progress1, to get him sitting up, feeling properly supported and feeling comfortable. The staff from Belleville contacted the Seating Specialist in the area, Bill, for help.
Bill came along to the facility and provided free education and training to the staff, and demonstrated the Bariatric Sorrento, our tilt in space bariatric wheelchair to the team. Due to previous attempts at sitting upright which caused him pain and discomfort, Len was initially very nervous about being transferred into the Bariatric Sorrento. It took 3 attempts, a lot of anxiety and nerves, but the team got Len seated comfortably in his new chair.
Initially Len was able to stay up for over an hour and in the first few weeks immediately spent most of the day sitting up in his new chair. He was more functional, able to control his positioning and would tilt and recline himself throughout the course of the day. Using the remote he was able to adjust his positioning for eating lunch, and simply to look out the window, drastically improving his quality of life.
This contributed to a dramatic improvement in Len’s condition. He began sitting in the chair for extended periods of the day and his ability to stand and walk improved tremendously. As a result he was moved from acute care at Belleville to a rehab focused facility in Trenton, as part of Quinte Healthcare.
Len remarked that the Bariatric Sorrento enabled him to be more self sufficient and he felt more comfortable than he has in months. He has expressed to his caregivers that he would like to spend more time in the chair and less time in bed.
Len's caregivers are so impressed with the chair and with the progress he has made, commenting “I have never seen anything like this, it is great!”
Len has sent his thanks to all the team at Seating Matters for making this possible for him to get out of bed and be safe, comfortable and supported.
I am so delighted to see that the Bariatric Sorrento has really helped Len’s recovery and is helping him to be more self sufficient and regain his independence.
Great to see!
Thanks for sharing your story with us Len!
If you need help with seating patients with a bariatric condition you can use our free resources:
Request your FREE copy of The Clinician's Seating Handbook with a section dedicated to seating patients with a bariatric condition.
If you find these useful, please tell a colleague and spread the word!
Many thanks,
Martina
*Note - the purpose of this blog is to give an overview of the product with some tips to consider on its use. This is not intended to be a substitute for professional or medical advice, diagnosis, prescription or treatment and does not constitute medical or other professional advice. For advice with your personal health or that of someone in your care, consult your doctor or appropriate medical professional.
