A story about how empathy and understanding improved lives across generations

Ramesh, a 40-year-old man with cerebral palsy and learning difficulties, required full-time care due to mobility challenges and incontinence. His elderly grandmother, Gita, took on the primary caregiving role during the day while his parents were at work. At 80 years old, she faced the daunting task of manually lifting Ramesh - who, at 19 stone, was significantly larger than her -multiple times a day between his bed, wheelchair, bath and toilet. This placed immense physical strain on her, posing serious risks to both their well-being.

Recognising the challenges Gita faced, a local healthcare professional was assigned to support the family. Understanding that caregiving was deeply personal and ingrained within the family structure, building a rapport was essential before introducing any new solutions, ensuring the family felt supported rather than judged.  The idea of a hoist and sling system was mindfully introduced as a way to ease Gita’s burden while maintaining the same level of personal care for her grandson. Care & Independence was invited to assist, and Senior Area Sales Manager Alan Davies worked closely with the Occupational Therapist to find the best solution for Ramesh’s needs.

“Ramesh’s needs themselves weren’t especially complex,” Alan noted. “After the initial joint assessment, I had quickly identified that two standard sling styles would easily address Ramesh’s physical requirements.”  Alan proposed the glove Bathing Deluxe (GXB) and the glove Airflow™ (GAIR).  Specifically purposed for bathroom environments, the glove Bathing Deluxe has a good-sized aperture for toileting needs, whilst its fast-draining properties make it ideal during and post-bathing.  The glove Airflow™ is an in-chair style sling with excellent air-permeability fabric properties, helping reduce overheating and risk of pressure injury when left beneath the user for longer periods of time than usual.  Together, these solutions would help ensure Ramesh’s comfort throughout the day while significantly reducing the physical strain on Gita.

The real challenge, however, lay in making this change feel right for the family. Alan provided reassurance, patiently answering questions and demonstrating how the hoist and slings would work.  Over a series of visits Alan supported Gita, teaching her how to correctly fit each sling herself and use them safely and efficiently with the hoist, all the while ensuring that Gita felt empowered and confident in using them and that Ramesh was comfortable and at ease with this unfamiliar method of manual handling.

"This case highlights why empathy and understanding are so vital in our line of work," Alan reflected. "It wasn’t just about providing equipment - it was about listening, respecting the family’s values, and offering a solution that truly made a difference in their daily lives. By approaching the situation with sensitivity, we helped ensure Ramesh received the best care possible while also easing Gita’s physical burden."

Through patience, trust, and compassionate support, Alan was thus able to help the family embrace a new solution that not only safeguarded Ramesh’s well-being but also preserved Gita’s health - allowing her to continue caring for her grandson with greater ease and security.

*Due to the sensitivities of medical conditions, names have been changed to protect privacy.  Images used are for illustrative purposes only.