Need technique tips for transfers from bed to chair, chair to commode, etc

Your Grandma is probably afraid she's going to fall. There is a proper way to transfer - the pivot move. Do you do this?

Found on e-how:
1) Talk through your course of action with the elderly person and make sure she knows what you will be doing first. Demonstrate if necessary.

2) Lock the wheels on the wheelchair and the bed (optional). Make sure the wheelchair is positioned so it is parallel to the bed, facing the foot end of the bed or at a 45-degree angle to the bed. It also should be near the middle of the bed.

3) Fold the footrest away. Remove the armrest if possible. Make sure the bed rail is down.

4) Have the elderly person place the hand that is closest to the bed on top of the mattress, with her other arm poised on the armrest, ready for a push.

5) Position yourself toe-to-toe and knee-to-knee with the elderly person. Bend slightly and grab him around his upper waist and torso.

6) Instruct her to lift herself with her arms to help support her weight. Simultaneously, bend your legs to produce a lift and a pivotal shift toward the bed. Lifting is best done with your legs and gluteus muscles flexed tightly to take pressure off your back.

7) Once the patient is seated, allow him time to regain his balance. Place one arm over his back to the opposite shoulder and the other arm under his thigh. Bend your legs slightly. Turn and lower his back onto the bed while shifting his thighs onto the bed. Note: Using a waist belt with grab handles, a flexible transfer board or a pivot disk will help with this process tremendously.

Did hospice offer any advice about obtaining a patient lift? It sounds like you could use one! Your gramma's doctor would first need to determine if her condition warrants it, then he would choose the best type of lift for her situation and write a prescription for it. These lifts can either be rented, rented with option to buy, or purchased outright, and Medicare will pay a decent portion of the costs (you would need to talk with the customer service division of whatever Medicare plan your gramma has to work out those details) If I were in your situation I would definitely look into it. Do it before you injure yourself!