Rented Theraposture rotating bed ensures flexibility and peace of mind for Yvonne with MND

Yvonne lives with her husband John (73) and has been married for 46 years. John is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who has served around the world alongside his wife who has enjoyed many roles including a librarian, veterinary nurse, secretary, charity worker and BBC production assistant. With 23 different houses throughout their life and two grown up children, they returned from Hong Kong to Wales 12 years ago when Yvonne was diagnosed with MND.

MND is a rare, progressive neurological condition that causes the gradual loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

This leads to different symptoms for different people however typically mobility, speech, swallowing and breathing difficulties increase over time. The prognosis for survival is normally only a few years however Yvonne continues to live with the condition since 2012. John has been at her side throughout this time and is now her full-time carer.

The Tustin’s receive help from Social Services, with a carer visiting every morning for two hours, however John is responsible for the majority of Yvonne’s care. One major element of this care has been manually lifting and transferring Yvonne in and out of bed.

As she uses an electric wheelchair, is non-verbal and has limited arm movement, the task had become very challenging for John. With an increasing risk of injury to both of them and difficulties organising extra carers to assist, they needed a solution. A rotating bed from Theraposture was the answer.

‘‘Theraposture rotating bed has our total recommendation, 100%, for people in a similar situation to us.”

Theraposture is a proven and trusted specialist in rotating beds. Both its award-winning Rotoflex and Orbit range provide powered profiling and rotation that moves a disabled user from a lying to a seated position with their feet on the floor. The beds can then be lifted vertically so a safe sit-to-stand can be achieved.

This functionality can provide complete independence for semi-ambulant users. Or for those with more complex difficulties, supporting carers can be reduced from two to one. This is how Yvonne has been able to remain at home with John helping her single handedly. In addition, most other bed suppliers do not offer free home consultations which can lead to compatibility problems in the future. Since 1981, Theraposture has remained committed to providing an assessment-led service so its specialist beds are futureproofed, cost effective and sustainable.

John picks up their story: “Yvonne has had Motor Neurone Disease for over 12 years so is remarkably defying the odds. As problems have arisen, we’ve always adopted the approach not to worry and just to find a solution. Previously getting Yvonne transferred from her wheelchair and into bed safely, without putting undue stress on me or any other carer for that matter, was becoming impossible.

We only had a standard double bed and I would have to support Yvonne whilst lifting up her legs and making sure she didn’t tip backwards.

At that time my knee problems were getting worse so when I was told I needed a knee replacement, the situation was compounded and so it was time to act.”

“We first saw a selection of rotating bed videos on the Theraposture website. You could see from these demonstrations that the Rotoflex could potentially meet our requirements. So we contacted Theraposture and Tom came and set up a demonstration bed in our garage.

Yvonne was able to try the bed out before we decided whether a, it was the type of bed we needed and b, which model in the range was best. This face-to-face assessment was a major advantage as it is investment you need to consider whether buying or renting. It was clear the bed was purpose built for someone who finds it difficult or impossible to get in or out of bed safely. And it facilitated Yvonne being put into bed facing the right direction and in the right sleeping position, without lots of adjustments, which was the case when trying hoists and slings.”

“The bed also offered the advantage that Yvonne could control it herself. If she needed to sit up in the night, she could do it herself without having to summon me into the room. And the further benefit was, as Yvonne has circulation problems, the bed had a foot section that could be raised instead of us using lots of pillows.”

John continues, “As many people with MND unfortunately do not need equipment for that long, Theraposture’s bed rental scheme can really help with this. We decided to go for that option plus we were so grateful that our application for financial help from the MND Association resulted in the charity paying our deposit. We’d like other people to know that the bed supplied to us was as new and has reduced costs for us in terms of purchasing equipment and needing extra care.”

As Yvonne and John have experienced, it can be commonly challenging to arrange vital care at home from Social Services. This means the provision of a rotating bed from Theraposture is even more critical to avoid relocation to a residential or nursing home.

In conclusion, Yvonne and John recommend Theraposture rotating beds to other individuals with MND. John summaries: “This Theraposture rotating bed has our total recommendation, 100%, for people in a similar situation to us. To me as a carer, our rotating bed means I now have peace of mind that Yvonne can be transferred safely and risk free. And without the risk of injury to myself during what can be quite a dangerous task from a health and safety perspective. For Yvonne, she is getting in without any effort.”

“We go to a MND coffee gathering once a month and we see new, recently diagnosed people joining all the time. We always say seek qualified advice from equipment experts especially as the symptoms of the condition are so different for everyone. Yvonne adds, via her notepad, that Theraposture’s Tom was definitely not a salesman. We trusted the assessment, it was genuine, he wasn’t trying to sell us any product and our rotating bed has proven to reliably solve our transfer issues.”