Boundaries for Quadriplegics

Specialties Home Health

Published

I am studying spinal cord injury disabilities and curious about how complete quadriplegics are usually watched over after returning home I am talking about complete quadriplegics C4 and up completely parylyzed from the neck down with absolutely no use of anything except for their head confined to a sipp puff power wheelchair. Do they need to be with someone when going outdoors? I am curious how much freedom they are allowed by most caregivers/spouses. Tonya

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Well, they can't transfer themselves to the chair and back again. Had an incomplete SCI patient who allowed herself to be left completely alone in her apartment when her caregivers came and went on their "own" schedules. Glad to be off that case. Same thing with other cases, nurses getting paid for being with the patient, but the patient alone for hours at a time. It happens here and there. Another guy would go outside to enjoy the fresh air and the nurse would either be close by or inside where s/he could peek on him from the window. Independence and running around is usually at whatever level is safe and all involved feel comfortable with. But when the patient is totally alone, that is downright dangerous and asking for a tragedy. That is about all the input I could give you on this.

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Thanks for the input. These truely are devastating injuries with serious results as far as impact on lifestyle.

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