Beatrice's pain has been reduced with controlled transfers

Beatrice had a 13 year history of brain tumour with right sided hemiparesia. She was admitted to hospital following a series of falls, where she experienced a brain haemorrhage. Her physical and mental abilities were considerably reduced from when she was admitted, and she required a double up care package of 4 calls a day.

She lived in a small downstairs room in her son’s house and was cared for in bed. Her son and his partner were her main carers and did as much as they could for her. Care was problematic as she had no active range of movement at the knee and hip joints, limited movement in her upper limbs, seizures (managed with medication) and high risk of pressure ulcer development due to inability to adjust position, and had sores on her left hip and sacrum. The biggest problem however, was severe neuropathic pain, especially in her legs and feet.

Adjustment in medication helped to manage this but did not resolve it. As a result, when she was moved or turned in bed she would cry out in pain, distressing to both herself and her carers. An in-bed slide sheet system was trialled, but this did not work well and so a Vendlet system was trialled. This was very successful, less physical contact was needed and movements were more controlled resulting in less pain. Beatrice continued to have a large double up care package and no financial savings were made, but her well-being, and that of her carers was vastly improved.