What does weight bearing actually mean?

[Pianokicker]

Sorry if this sounds like a daft question, but is there a (clinical or otherwise) definition that care homes use to classify if a resident is weight bearing or not?

Thanks

I’m no physio or OT, but surely it’s as simple as if they can take their own weight.

If someone can’t ‘weight bear’ they would normally need to be hoisted for transfers is. Getting in and out of bed, from bed to wheelchair.

If they can weight bear but perhaps only for a short time they might be able to be helped to stand briefly to transfer from bed to chair.

Thanks, I'm trying to work out how to describe my relative's condition to health care professionals, which is obviously difficult as it's all being done by phone. Speaking to different care settings they seem to differ in their criteria for weight bearing. For example, home 1 said they could not take anyone who needed 2 people to manoeuvre them, and that this was 'non wight bearing'! even if they could then use a zimmer, whilst others have said it means requiring a hoist as you say Sharky. I realise now that what the homes are doing is screening out those with higher needs from the start, as home 1 clearly had lots of non weight bearing residents.

OP- Sorry you are going through this. There is lots of confusion regarding the care needs covered by warden control settings, care homes, nursing homes etc etc. The facility will indeed be filtering the patients so they can provide the best care. Its not to specifically pick the easiest to manage, but some facilities are simply not staffed to have bed bound patients requiring multiple carers to hoist, OR, they may indeed have a limit of how many higher needs patients that can have at 1 time. Its also a matter of fire safety regs in terms of how many bed bound patients they can have.

Depending on your relatives condition, I'd choose a home that can provide a higher level of care when/if needed in the future. I've too many cases on MN where they were placed in a lower care facility, to only need to move again within months.

To answer your question, weight baring does indeed mean to stand and carry their own weight. Things like whether they can stand and walk unaided, with help of 1 person, 2, a stick, walker, frame, hoist etc etc are also important.

Thank you Elouria, it may all be a moot point as my relative's condition is getting worse fairly fast now but that was useful.

Sorry to hear that. Other things facilities will want to know are things like feeding- can the person feed themselves or do they need help? Do they need a pureed meal, soft meal or are they a choking risk? Can they shower or toilet themselves independently? Can they dress independently? Visual, auditory or other deficit?

My nan needed a care assessment, and although it was abroad, I think its similar in the UK. It was partially points based, so higher needs were given a higher score. More meds were a higher score than just 1 blood pressure pill for example. Those needing glucose monitoring and insulin were higher than just pills.

I'm unsure if social services in your area could provide more advice. Ideally info on which local facilities can provide for the condition your relative has. For example, my nan needed a dementia specific facility, which not all places can provide for.

Thanks again @Elouera

We've pretty much settled on one home now, my relative is pretty high needs now and this looks like the place that can accommodate all of this. We're sadly talking dementia and severe physical disibility 😔

I feel for you OP, having just been through this with my 2 nans and great aunt all within a year of each other.

Another to consider is parking for visits and ease of getting the patient to your car for days out if applicable. One nan has a facility with underground parking, making it very easy for us to visit and park, and also take her out if needed. The other is more residential, and had extremely limited parking, and means my own elderly mother with mobility issues has difficulty visiting. Sending hugs. Its very difficult I know