My husband had a stroke a couple of years ago and a knee replacement 6 months later, Although he can walk (very slowly) he is quite week, especially in his knees and legs. Last night he fell off his bed, he was not hurt, but because of his week knees he cannot help himself up. He has osteo-arthritis, and suffers much back ache. So to pick him up on my own was a big mission as he is a dead weight. He has fallen before and most times I am alone with him. I am 69 years old, healthy but not very fit. How can I pick him up without hurting myself as well. We've tried using chairs for him to pull or push himself up but that does not help much.
You may know that you are facing a coming time when you cannot do this alone. I am so sorry, but an injury to you will put you out of commission. I am stuck life long with the "Old Nurse's Back". There is really no way to move even smaller people, over time, without sustaining an injury. I don't know a single nurse without the "back thing". You can't afford that. Your husband, wherever he has to live, needs you whole and there for him. I am so sorry. Wish I had more for you.
If there's no Falls Response or similar service near you, have a look online and you will see the kind of equipment used to lift patients safely. It is not prohibitively expensive, but you would be foolish to buy one and use it without at least asking an occupational therapist or physical therapist to show you how to do it properly.
However, it will get your neighbors attention if the bring the high lift ladder truck that takes two drivers plus an ambulance.
I enjoy the looks of the gawking neighbors faces myself.
I know a lady who tried to help her husband out of the bed and he fell, pulling her down with him, severely injuring her back.
He needs some good, regular PT and also needs to be using a rollater or walker.
So. I went to the garage, got the furniture dolly, wheeled it into her. She looked at it and said “OH NO” She was sitting, so I slid the dolly as close to her backside as I could get and she wiggled onto it. I leaned her backwards and off we went!! At this point we were laughing so hard and stating how proud Dad would be if he were here to see her being wheeled thru the house on a dolly! We got to the steps, I lowered the dolly, her feet were on the first step going down, she grabbed the handrail, I helped her to stand up, and she stood right up. That was a year ago. I haven’t had to use it again, but we still giggle about it. A 94 yr old woman sitting on a dolly being pushed thru the house by her 69 yr old daughter. That may not work for everyone, but it worked for us that night. Ah. The memories.
I lifted a 5 gal bottle once and hurt my back. Take care of your back, pain can be excruciating. I did not use good body mechanics. We use a Hoyer lift when my mother has a bad day, although it is rare, it is safer for both of us.