Help a Parkinsons Patient on Board

[tbodine88]

Howdy

Just wondering if anyone as a better idea than I.

I am taking some people for a day sail. I have a West Wight Potter 19. One passenger has Parkinson's disease, the other has hip problems. I want to arrange some sort of way so they can step down into the boat, and later make it easy to get out of her.

When she is at the dock, I can climb over the side and in, but I am able bodied and maybe not aware of any issues.

Has anyone dealt successfully with getting people such as these aboard?

Thanks

[bensolomon]

Can you send a picture of your dock and boat? I know the potters, but can't picture it next to the dock. Is the dock floating or fixed?

Ben


Ben Solomon
S/V Dawn 1989 37.5 hunter legend

[DumnMad]

Hand holds for steadying during access and a comfortable place for the person with parkinsons to take a rest if needed.

[cattar]

How mobile and how stable are they?
Can they get themselves in and out of a bathtub?
Can they climb up and down a stepstool?
(Getting into the Potter would be similar tho less stable than getting into a bathtub/using a stepstool.)
Is this a conversation you can have with them or are they used to others making things happen? If the latter, are the caregivers coming along? Are the caregivers used to helping with awkward transfers? (Transfering in and out of a boat would be awkward)


Here are some thoughts.
1 - Talk with them about their mobility and limitations.
2 - Check that your insurance is up to date.
3 - Well in advance of the sail date, find a willing participant, put him/her in a lifejacket, have him/her slip into the water between the dock and the boat, then grab the lifejacket straps above the shoulders and pull the person onto the dock. Do this a few times. (Dunking them to their chin helps create extra buoyancy. It's surprisingly easy to do this and lift up someone your own bodyweight and a bit more.)
4 - Now have the wet participant help you retie the boat with the cockpit caprail as close to the dock as possible. Instead of fenders, use camping closed-cell foam pads to get the boat closest to the dock.
5 - Then have the wet participant do a tub transfer. While standing on the dock, he/she will sit down on the caprail, then swing one leg over the caprail into the boat, then swing the other leg over the caprail and into the boat, then ease his/her seat down into the boat.
6 - Practice running the lines in the cockpit with people sitting in place. Probably need 2 wet participants to simulate this. Don't expect people with limited mobility to move about during maneuvers. Find the best places in the cockpit for people to sit.
7 - Practice docking with people sitting in place.
8 - Now have the less-wet participants exit the boat in reverse. Lift themselves into seated position on caprail (if they can kneel on the cockpit seat and then twist to sit on the caprail this will be easier, otherwise this is an awkward/unstable/full bodyweight move), move one leg out onto dock, then the other leg, then stand on the dock.

Or maybe build a ramp.

[sy_gilana]

A Parkinson's person knows when they are "good" and not. Do not pressure them, do not have people waiting for them. They must sit and relax on the dock for a few minutes before attempting to get aboard. Their levels will be high with excitement and expectation. Have a seat, shade, and a refreshment waiting, and sit them down, talk about the day ahead, and when they are good and ready they will know.

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

Can you send a picture of your dock and boat? I know the potters, but can't picture it next to the dock. Is the dock floating or fixed?

http://westwightpotter19forsale.yola...s/IMG_0198.jpg

This is not my boat but the dimensions are similar, the dock is floating.

Regards Tom Bodine

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by cattar

How mobile and how stable are they?
Can they get themselves in and out of a bathtub?
Can they climb up and down a stepstool?
.....

Or maybe build a ramp.

Oh, boy that's alot.

[cattar]

Originally Posted by tbodine88

Oh, boy that's alot.

Not so much.
Kinda like building a dock, tilted.


Or maybe use a seat attached to the boom to swing them onto and off the boat. Might have a lot of willing participants to give that a try.


Have a good sail.

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by cattar

Not so much.
Kinda like building a dock, tilted.


Or maybe use a seat attached to the boom to swing them onto and off the boat. Might have a lot of willing participants to give that a try.


Have a good sail.

Not sure I really want to hang a 250 lb man on my Rig. I'm asking him what he thinks he can do. We'll see what happens Sunday

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by sy_gilana

A Parkinson's person knows when they are "good" and not. Do not pressure them, do not have people waiting for them. They must sit and relax on the dock for a few minutes before attempting to get aboard. Their levels will be high with excitement and expectation. Have a seat, shade, and a refreshment waiting, and sit them down, talk about the day ahead, and when they are good and ready they will know.

This I will do.

[sanibel sailor]

depends entirely upon the person and their condition/stage. I sailed my 28 footer across the Atlantic with my father who had one hip replacement, a not too goot hip on the other side and a couple of tired knees. BTW he was also in the early stages of Parkinson's at the time. He had not been correctly diagnosed then due to a prior brachial plexus injury. Of course he is a tough stubborn old buzzard.

[sailcruiser]

The stage of Parkinson's is a big factor. Two friends so mine sail regularly on their boat and both have early stage Parkinson's.

If it were me I'd try to create a handrail running a line from the post at the end of the dock to a winch. Two would probably be better creating a handrail if you don't want to swing them over on the boom. Maybe a midship,line to grab onto once on board.

Something to note if these people are on Medicare if they get injured your insurance will get the bill first. Medicare only pays after all other insurance is exhausted. This happened to me when one of my parents fell in my home.

I'd also tie wherever they'll be stepping as close to the dock as possible.
SC

[MBWhite]

I'd consider fabricating a set of stairs out of some scrap lumber that can hook into the dock and lead into the cockpit. If you put a handrail on it you might even find it useful for the non-parkinsons visitors!

Off topic: Is your boat on Lake Austin, and have you had it there for a while? I was visiting family in Austin about 5-6 years ago and noticed a Potter in a slip, I've always thought they were nicely designed pocket cruisers.

[lesterbutch]

I have had some disabled people and very elderly folks and I simply have them sit on the rail and I rotate them in by placing my hand on their back and helping lift their legs as I turn them inboard, once their legs are in you play it by ear.

[roland stockham]

It sounds like you don't know these people or there abilities. That would be an issue with anyone you take sailing for the first time and is doubly so if they have mobility issues. The answer is simple - go see them. See what they can and can't do, talk about sailing and if that raises any issue discuss what you can do about them together. But do it before you get to the dock!!!