Request for help

Derek McMullan has received the following request and would like to ask if anyone has any experience or advice to offer.

“I have a referral from a woman who is a carer for her 70-year old aunt S – -. This woman had an operation for a brain tumour 36 years ago and as a result she has lost the use of her arms and legs. She is now in a care home near her family. I visited her there last Saturday on the understanding that this was purely an assessment.

S – -‘s head has fallen forward so that her chin is resting on her chest. The skin, which is understandably frail anyway, is inflamed due to lack of ventilation. The care home has not enough trained staff to exercise the patient’s head and neck.

Her nephew is an engineer and he is making a mechanical device to pull S – -‘s head up and back, even by two or three centimetres with a strap round her forehead.

I am not keen on this; I would not design a mechanical device for use by untrained staff (actually, I expect that they would refuse to use it anyway).

According to S – -‘s niece, medical input has not been helpful; this is why she is asking outside the box. Even a layman’s view, though, shows that this is a very complex situation. Our own Panel’s OT says that this is outside her competence (for which I cannot fault her) and has offered the name of another OT who may be able to help. I am trying to contact her now.

I have found a project on Remapedia (Leeds & Bradford 88/02) which may help with the air circulation, but would like to put out a general enquiry as to whether any other Panels have experience or advice on any possible action?”

Please contact Derek McMullan at info@remapni.org  if you can help.