JP2024085344A - Nursing aids and methods of using same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a care aid that is easy to operate, does not require difficult operations even from the preparation stage, and can lift the lower limbs of a person being cared for, and also to provide a method for using the aid.
[Solution] The device includes a rod-shaped support that is long enough to simultaneously support the backs of the knees of both legs of the care recipient, and a base that maintains the support at an appropriate height. The base includes two support posts arranged on the left and right sides of a bed or futon on which the care recipient lies, a connecting member that integrates the two support posts while maintaining the width of the two support posts at an appropriate level, and a locking portion formed on each of the two support posts that locks the support posts to the two support posts in separate positions near both ends, and at least two support posts are provided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the bed or futon. The locking portion forms a contact area that contacts the support posts at at least two points, either alone or together with the support posts, and limits the rotation of the support posts around its axis when the weight of the care recipient's lower legs acts on the support posts.
[Selected figure] Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a care support device that is used to raise the lower limbs of a care recipient when changing the care recipient's diaper.

Those who are unable to relieve themselves in the bathroom due to old age, accidents or illness and must be cared for by others use diapers, but the caregiver must change the diapers several times a day. In order to change a diaper, the lower legs must be lifted up high, which is not a problem if the person being cared for is a child, but for adults, this is not an easy task and changing the diaper itself is a burden for the caregiver.

Beds or auxiliary devices have therefore been developed to lift the lower limbs of care recipients (especially adults) to reduce the burden when changing their diapers (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 is based on the assumption that a height-adjustable bed is used, and is configured with a swingable leg holder, which holds the backs of the knees of the care recipient by swinging the leg holder and guides the position of the knees of the care recipient upward and toward the head as the bed is lowered. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 2 is configured to have a rotatable support arm with a center of rotation provided on the side of the bed, and to move the position of the knees using a foot bar at the tip of the support arm.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-192271 JP 2006-000232 A Utility Model Registration No. 3132423

The inventions disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 both move the position of the back of the knee of the care recipient by rotating or swinging an arm that supports a member that contacts the back of the knee, but the invention in Patent Document 1 requires that the bed be able to be raised and lowered, while the invention in Patent Document 2 requires that the bed be equipped with a drive unit that drives it to rotate. However, beds used by care recipients do not necessarily have this function, and the inventions are inevitably lacking in versatility.

As a result, a protective device was developed that suspends the knees of the care recipient with a rope or the like (see Patent Document 3). This invention involves hooking a rope to both ends of a cylindrical holder that is positioned so that the backs of the knees of the care recipient come into contact with the rope, and pulling the rope upwards using a beam as a fulcrum, and using multiple movable pulleys to reduce the operating force required to pull the rope. This was an advantage in that it did not require any modifications to the bed itself, and the rope could be pulled manually by the caregiver.

However, in order to bring the holding part into contact with the back of the knee of the care recipient, it is necessary to lift up at least a part of the care recipient's lower leg (the knee), and even this advance preparation is not easy. In addition, the towing rope needs to be manually wound, but because the position of the knee moves toward the head, this requires moving the entire frame, including the beam, at the same time, which is by no means an easy operation.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and its purpose is to provide a care aid that is easy to operate, does not require difficult operations even from the preparation stage, and can lift the lower limbs of a person receiving care, and also to provide a method for using the same.

The present invention, which relates to a nursing aid, is a nursing aid for lifting the lower limbs of a care recipient lying on their back, using the backs of the knees as a fulcrum, when changing a diaper, and is characterized in that it comprises a rod-shaped support member long enough to simultaneously support the backs of the knees of both legs of the care recipient, and a base that maintains the support member at an appropriate height, and the base comprises two support pillars arranged on the left and right sides of the bed or futon on which the care recipient lies on their back, a connecting member that integrates the two support pillars while maintaining the two support pillars at an appropriate width, and a locking portion formed on each of the two support pillars that separates and locks the support members near both ends to the two support pillars, and at least the two support pillars are arranged to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the bed or futon.

According to the above configuration, when the support is in contact with the back of the knee of the care recipient and the support is engaged by the engaging parts of the support pillars arranged on both the left and right sides of the care recipient, the care recipient is in a position where the area from the thighs to the buttocks is lifted, which reduces the burden of lifting the lower limbs when changing diapers. Furthermore, since the support pillar is rod-shaped and has an appropriate length, the care recipient can maintain the same posture even when the thighs are spread apart. In addition, since the support pillar is provided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the bed or mattress, when using the bed, the support pillar can be gradually moved from a state in which the tips of the lower limbs of the care recipient (near the ankles) are supported toward the head of the care recipient to reach the back of the knees. Therefore, in order to guide the care recipient into a desired posture, it is sufficient to support the tips of the lower limbs (near the ankles) on the support pillar and move the support pillar.

In the invention configured as above, the engaging portion, either alone or together with the support, can form a contact area that contacts the support at at least two points, and can limit the rotation of the support around its axis when the weight of the care recipient's lower limbs acts on the support.

In this configuration, the support comes into contact with at least two points, either with the locking portion alone or with the locking portion and the support post, creating an appropriate level of frictional resistance. This limits rotation around the axis even if the support has a shape that is easy to rotate, such as a circular cross section, and allows the support state of the care recipient's lower limbs to be stabilized.

In addition, in the invention having the above configuration, the locking portions are arranged at the same height on each of the two pillars to form a pair, and the two pillars can be provided with one or more pairs of locking portions.

According to the above configuration, the rod-shaped support can lift both the left and right lower legs of the care recipient simultaneously and to the same height, stabilizing the posture during diaper changing. Furthermore, when multiple sets of locking parts are provided, it is possible to support the lower legs of the care recipient at an optimal height depending on the length of the legs, particularly the length of the thighs, and it is possible to provide a versatile care aid that is not limited to certain care recipients.

Furthermore, in the invention having the above configuration, the base may have two base portions that hold the two supports in an upright position, and the base portions may be elongated along the longitudinal direction of the bed or mattress.

According to the above configuration, when the care recipient's lower limbs are raised, the weight of the lower limbs is transmitted to the support column via the support body, and acts in a direction that tilts the column. However, by providing a long base portion in the longitudinal direction of the bed or the like (i.e., the direction from the care recipient's head to the feet), the configuration can withstand the load in the tilting direction of the column. In addition, it is possible to prevent the column from tipping when it is moved during use.

In the invention having the above configuration, the two base parts each have a caster on the bottom, and the caster is provided so as to be able to roll at least in the longitudinal direction of the bed or futon, and the caster can have a rolling operation part for operating to allow and stop the rolling. In the case of such a configuration, when the support is moved during use, the entire base can be moved by the rolling of the caster, making it easy to move the base. Note that the operation part can have a stopper structure that can switch between contact and non-contact with the rotating body for the caster.

Furthermore, in the invention of the above configuration, the rolling operation unit can be provided with a connecting means so that it can be operated simultaneously with respect to the casters of the two base parts. In such a configuration, the caregiver can operate the base to move and stop it on either the left or right side of the care recipient. In particular, in the case of a bed, this is extremely simple since there is no need to operate the left and right sides separately. Note that the connecting means can simply be a physical connection between stoppers provided for the casters provided on both the left and right sides.

In the invention having the above configuration, the support preferably has an external cross-sectional shape that is circular and has a diameter of 20 mm to 50 mm. In other words, by having the external face shape of the support be circular, the care recipient will not feel pain even if the care recipient's lower limbs come into contact with it, and the support position during use can be smoothly moved from near the ankle to the back of the knee. Furthermore, if the diameter is within the range of 20 mm to 50 mm, the caregiver can easily and easily hold and lift it, and the care recipient who lifts the back of the knee will not feel pain. If the diameter is smaller than 20 mm, the weight of the care recipient's lower limbs will be concentrated on it, causing pain in the back of the knee, and if the diameter is larger than 50 mm, the size will be difficult for the caregiver to hold when lifting it.

On the other hand, the invention relating to the method of using the nursing care aid of each of the above configurations is characterized in that the support is placed on both sides of the base near the ankles of the care recipient, the support is released from the engagement part of the base, the support is separated from the base, and the heel side of the ankle of the care recipient lying on the back is placed on the support, the support is raised in this state and both ends are engaged with the engagement parts of the left and right support, the ankle area of the care recipient is raised by the nursing care aid, the entire nursing care aid is moved from this state toward the head of the care recipient, the contact position of the support with the lower leg of the care recipient is moved from the ankle area to the back of the knee, and the entire lower leg is raised, and the nursing care aid is further moved toward the head of the care recipient to bring the thighs of the care recipient closer to the abdomen, and the movement of the nursing care aid is stopped in a state where the area around the buttocks is lifted.

According to the above configuration, by placing the ankle area of the care recipient on the support and moving the position of the support pole, the posture of the care recipient gradually changes to a position suitable for diaper changing, providing a state in which the caregiver can change the diaper without burden. In particular, since this posture is maintained during the diaper change, the caregiver can carry out the change work with plenty of time, and a clean environment can be provided for the care recipient, such as by slowly wiping the lower abdomen of the care recipient during the diaper change. In addition, after use, by retracting the support pole to its original position, the support pole will only lift the ankle area of the care recipient, thereby reducing the burden on the care recipient when returning the lower limbs to their original position.

Another invention relating to the method of using the nursing care aids of each of the above configurations is characterized in that the base is prepared in advance with the support pillars positioned on both sides near the ankles of the care recipient and the support engaged with the engagement portion of the base, and in this state, the lower legs of the care recipient are lifted one at a time so that the ankle area is supported by the support, and from this state, the entire nursing care aid is moved toward the head of the care recipient, thereby moving the contact position of the support with the care recipient's lower legs from the ankle area to the back of the knee while raising the entire lower legs, and further moving the nursing care aid toward the head of the care recipient to bring the care recipient's thighs closer to the abdomen, and stopping the movement of the nursing care aid in a state where the area around the buttocks is lifted.

Even with the above configuration, by moving the position of the support pole, the posture of the care recipient gradually changes to a position suitable for diaper changing, allowing the caregiver to change the diaper without any burden. If the care recipient's body type or the caregiver's muscle strength make it impossible to simultaneously lift the care recipient's ankles up to the locking parts via the support, the caregiver may lift them one at a time. Once the care recipient's ankles are supported by the support pole at a height that allows them to be locked into the locking parts, the caregiver can guide the care recipient into the desired posture simply by moving the support pole, just like in the previous invention.

According to the present invention, when changing the diaper of a care recipient, the support body supports the area around the ankles and the support pole is moved, so that the posture of the care recipient can be guided to a desired state. Therefore, the lower limbs of the care recipient can be lifted with a simple operation without requiring complicated operations from the preparation stage. In this case, the burden on the caregiver is extremely limited, and the burden on the caregiver can be reduced. The invention relating to the method of using a care support device reduces the burden on the caregiver as described above.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of an embodiment of a care assistance device. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing details of an embodiment of the nursing care aid. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which an embodiment of a care assisting device is in use. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which an embodiment of a care assisting device is in use. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage form (embodiment relating to a usage method) of a nursing care auxiliary device. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage form (embodiment relating to a usage method) of a nursing care auxiliary device. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage form (embodiment relating to a usage method) of a nursing care auxiliary device. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the care aid. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the care aid. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing another modified example of the nursing care aid. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing another modified example of the nursing care aid.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, we will first describe an embodiment of a nursing care aid, and then describe an embodiment of a method of use of the embodiment.

<Embodiments of nursing care aids>
Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a care aid. As shown in this figure, the care aid 100 of this embodiment is composed of a support 1 for supporting the lower limbs of a care recipient and a base 2 for maintaining the support 1 at an appropriate height.

The support 1 is made of a straight rod-shaped member, and basically has a circular external cross-sectional shape. The purpose of the circular cross-section is to support the lower limbs (especially the back of the knees) of the care recipient, so that the care recipient does not feel pain, and to make the shape easy for the caregiver to grasp. Therefore, although the cross-section is not limited to a circular cross-section, it is desirable that the surface is a smooth curved surface. The circular cross-section includes not only a perfect circle cross-section but also an elliptical cross-section. As will be described later, an elliptical cross-section is suitable for restricting the rotation of the support 1, but a perfect circle cross-section may be used to allow moderate rotation. In addition, the fact that the external cross-sectional shape is basically a circle means that it may be either a hollow cylinder or a round bar. Since the support 1 supports the lower limbs of the care recipient in a lifted state at a specified position, it is necessary to have a moderate strength, and depending on the material, it may be a round bar, but it may be a cylindrical shape to reduce weight. For example, if it is made of wood, it can be manufactured with a moderate weight even if it is a round bar, but if it is made of metal (e.g., stainless steel), it is preferable to make it cylindrical to reduce weight.

When the support 1 has a circular cross section, it is preferable that the outer diameter is 20 mm to 50 mm. If the diameter is smaller than 20 mm, the weight of the care recipient's lower limbs will be concentrated, causing pain behind the knees, while the limit at which the caregiver can easily grasp the support 1 is 50 mm. If the diameter exceeds 50 mm, it will be difficult to grasp when lifting it and extra gripping strength will be required, which can increase the burden of caregiving.

The outline of the base 2 for maintaining such a support 1 at a specified height is composed of two posts 21, 21 arranged at an appropriate width, and a connecting member 23 for connecting and integrating them. The two posts 21, 22 are designed to maintain a distance that allows them to be placed separately on both sides of the bed or futon used by the person being cared for, and are connected by the connecting member 23 to maintain said distance. In the figure, the connecting member 23 is connected at the upper ends of the two posts 21, 22, but this is to ensure that the lower legs of the person being cared for do not come into contact with them when in use, and to ensure sufficient space inside the base 2. Therefore, they may be connected in other positions, for example, near the lower ends when space is utilized below the floor of the bed.

The two pillars 21, 22 that make up the base 2 are provided with locking portions 24, 25, respectively. These locking portions 24, 25 are provided at a predetermined height, and the support 1 is maintained at the predetermined height by locking the ends of the support 1 to the locking portions 24, 25 on both sides, respectively.

These locking portions 24, 25 are basically formed by protruding in the same direction from the side surfaces of the two supports 21, 22. If the supports 21, 22 have sufficient strength and cross-sectional area, notches may be formed in the supports 21, 22 to enable the support 1 to be locked. In either form, the locking portions 24, 25 are provided in a set, one on each of the two supports 21, 22 at the same height, and the number of sets can be increased as appropriate.

When the locking parts 24, 25 are formed by protruding as shown in the figure, it is preferable to set the axis direction at an angle upward. By arranging the axis of the locking parts 24, 25 at an angle in this way, the support 1 in the locked state is guided downward along the incline by its own weight, and its surface abuts against two points, the side surface of the support 21, 22 and the upper surface of the locking parts 24, 25 (the abutting parts are called abutting areas here), and the mutual friction resistance at the abutting parts suppresses the circumferential rotation of the support 1 with a circular cross section. Note that when the locking parts 24, 25 are formed by cutting out the support 21, 22, they are configured to secure the abutting areas so that at least two points (which may be abutting areas in a planar manner) abut in the cutout parts.

The lower ends of the supports 21 and 22 are fixed to bases 26 and 27, respectively, and the supports 21 and 22 are held upright by each of the bases 26 and 27. The bases 26 and 27 are of an appropriate length, and their axes are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support 1 and parallel to the floor surface on which the bed or the like is placed (in the direction along the longitudinal direction of the bed or futon). The axial direction of the bases 26 and 27 is adjusted to prevent the supports 21 and 22 from tipping over. That is, the support 1 is a member for lifting and supporting the lower limbs of the care recipient, and both ends of the support 1 are engaged with the engaging portions 24 and 25 of the support 21 and 22, so that the majority of the load (weight of the lower limbs, etc.) received by the care recipient acts on the support 1 suspended from the support 21 and 22 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support 1. Therefore, the direction in which the supports 21, 22 tilt due to this perpendicular load is necessarily perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support 1, so by arranging the base parts 26, 27 long in that direction, it is possible to prevent the supports 21, 22 from tilting due to the load.

Casters 28, 29 may also be installed on the bottom of the base parts 26, 27. The purpose of the casters 28, 29 is to facilitate movement of the nursing care aid 1 when it is in use, and multiple casters (two in the figure) are provided along the longitudinal direction of the base parts 26, 27 so as not to diminish the effect of the base parts 26, 27 in preventing the supports 21, 22 from tipping over.

By providing the locking portions 24 and 25 at an angle, the surface of the support 1 is configured to abut against two points: the side surfaces of the posts 21 and 22, and the upper surfaces of the locking portions 24 and 25, and the rotation of the support 1 is restricted by utilizing frictional resistance. However, the locking portions 24 and 25 may also be configured to have notches to ensure support of the support 1.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2(a), a curved cutout 11 may be provided on the upper surface side of the locking parts 24, 25, and configured as a concave part that is concave from the upper surface of the locking parts 24, 25. By forming such a cutout 11, the support 1 can be fitted into the concave interior, so that the support 1 cannot be released from the locking parts 24, 25 during use. In addition, this type of concave part (concave part) 11 can be made to have a curved surface with a changed curvature, so that it can be made to partially approximate the curvature of the surface of the support 1. By forming such a concave part 11, the surface comes into contact with the surface of the support 1 over a relatively wide range, and frictional resistance can be obtained, and an appropriate contact area can be formed even if it does not come into contact with the supports 21, 22 at two points. In addition, it is preferable that the concave part 11 can come into contact with both the supports 21, 22 in consideration of the resistance to the supports 21, 22 during use. Furthermore, by changing the curvature of the concave surface 11, the recessed state at the tip side of the locking parts 24 and 25 can be made gentler, and this gentle recessed state makes it relatively easy to release the locking of the support 1.

The protruding positions of the locking parts 24, 25 can be adjusted as needed. As shown in FIG. 2(b), multiple through holes 12 are drilled in the posts 21, 22, female threads 13 are engraved (or nuts are embedded) on the base end side of the locking parts 24, 25, and the fixing screws 14 are inserted into the through holes 12 from the opposite side of the locking parts 24, 25 and then screwed into the female threads 13. This allows the height to be adjusted by using through holes 12 of an appropriate height. When using screws, the locking parts 24, 25 may be configured to be screwed in at two places to prevent them from rotating around the axis of the fixing screws 14.

<When using nursing care aids>
Since the configuration of the embodiment of the nursing care aid 100 is as described above, as shown in Fig. 3, by arranging the two pillars 21, 22 on both the left and right sides of the bed BD (see Fig. 3(a)), the support 1 can be maintained at a predetermined height above the top surface of the bed mattress of the bed BD by the locking parts 24, 25. Also, when providing nursing care with a futon laid on a floor such as a tatami mat (see Fig. 3(b)), the locking parts 24, 25 are provided at a low position on the short pillars 21, 22, so that the support 1 can be maintained by the low locking parts 24, 25 of the pillars 21, 22 arranged on both the left and right sides of the mattress SF.

When the care aid 100 is used, as shown in FIG. 4 (a case where a bed BD is used is shown as a representative example), the locking parts 24, 25 provided on the pillars 21, 22 are positioned toward the head side of the care recipient HM (similar to FIG. 3). This is because the care aid 100 of the present invention is designed to lift the lower limbs LE of the care recipient HM lying on his back using the support 1 during diaper changing, as shown in FIG. 4, and when the lower limbs LE of the care recipient HM are lifted, the lower limbs LE of the care recipient HM act to push against the entire care aid 100, and this is received by the pillars 21, 22. In other words, this is to prevent the support 1 from coming off the locking parts 24, 25.

This usage state is the same even when using the futon SF. Therefore, apart from the difference in the length of the posts 21, 22 (the positions of the locking parts 24, 25) in this embodiment, the overall structure is the same, so there is no difference in usage. Therefore, the following will explain the usage mode and method when using the bed BD.

<Use of nursing care aid (embodiment relating to method of use)>
Next, a usage manner of the nursing care assisting device 100 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described. This usage manner is an embodiment of the present invention relating to a usage method. The usage procedure is shown in Figures 5 to 7. This procedure allows the caregiver to easily lift the lower limbs LE of the care recipient HM without causing pain to the care recipient HM.

First, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the support 1 is removed from the engaging parts 24, 25, and only the support 1 is used, and the care recipient HM is placed on the support 1 while lying on his/her back, with the heel side near the ankle AK placed on the support 1. At this time, the tip of the support 1 may be inserted between the lower part (back side) of one ankle AK and the upper surface of the bed mat BM, and the support 1 may be manipulated to reach the lower part (back side) of the other ankle AK. Alternatively, the support 1 may be placed on the surface of the bed mat BM near the heel AK, and then the caregiver may lift the ankle AK of the care recipient HM and place it on the support 1. This completes the preparation.

As shown in FIG. 5(b), the support 1 is then lifted while the area around the ankle AK is still placed on the support 1 as described above, and the support 1 is locked by the locking parts 24, 25. Since it is the support 1 and the ankle AK of the care recipient HM that need to be lifted, they are not very heavy and can be lifted relatively easily. At this time, it is necessary to move the base 2 slightly toward the head HD of the care recipient HM. This is to lock the support 1 to the locking parts 24, 25. If it is difficult to lift the support 1 with the area around the ankle AK placed on it, it is also possible to first lock the support 1 to the locking parts 24, 25, and then lift one foot at a time to place the heel AK on the support 1.

From the above state, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the entire care support device 100 is moved to move the contact position of the support 1 from near the ankle AK along the lower leg LL toward the thigh FM. Specifically, the casters 28, 29 provided on the back surface of the base parts 26, 27 are used to move the base 2 toward the head HD of the care recipient HM, and the position of the engaged support 1 is also moved toward the head HD of the care recipient HM. This movement of the support 1 causes the support 1 to change its contact position from the ankle AK toward the thigh FM while sliding on the back side of the lower leg LE (particularly the lower leg LL) of the care recipient HM. Note that since there is no joint between the ankle AK and the knee KN, the lower leg LE is maintained in an extended state, and the angle of the hip joint is only slightly changed.

Continuing, as shown in FIG. 6(b), by further moving the base 2 toward the head HD of the care recipient HM, the support 1 can be brought to the back of the knee KN of the care recipient HM (the back of the knee). In this state, the lower leg LE is bent by the joint of the knee KN and passes over the support 1 to become free, and since the support 1 approaches the hip joint, the hip joint is bent to assume a forward bending position, and the thigh FM can be brought into an upward position.

By achieving the above state, it becomes possible to change the diaper of the care recipient HM. In other words, in the above state, the weight of the lower limbs LE of the care recipient HM is supported by the support body 1, and the lower limbs LE can be lifted without causing pain to the care recipient HM.

Diaper changing is possible in the above state, but further, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the base 2 may be moved to cause the care recipient HM to bend forward significantly. When the care recipient HM is bent forward significantly as shown in the figure, the buttocks BT are gently lifted. In this state, when changing the diaper, it is easy to remove part of the diaper that is placed between the buttocks BT and the bed mattress, and place a new diaper (part of it) under the buttocks BT.

In addition, in the above-mentioned state, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the knees KN of the care recipient HM are supported by the support 1, so when the left and right thighs FM1, FM2 are spread apart, the joints of the knees KN bend at the support 1, and the left and right lower legs LL1, LL2 can also be spread apart. In this way, the lower limbs of the care recipient HM can be supported in a spread-legged state with the legs raised, so that a space is formed around the lower abdomen of the care recipient HM, making it easy to change diapers.

As in either of the above (either FIG. 6(b) or FIG. 7(a)), the procedure for using this embodiment is completed when the care recipient is guided into a moderately bent forward position. After changing the diaper, the above steps can be reversed to remove this embodiment and return the care recipient to the original supine position. Specifically, the base 2 is retracted and the support 1 is moved until it abuts near the ankle AK, and finally the support 1 is released from the abutment against the ankle AK and returned to the bed.

<Modification>
The embodiment of the present invention is as described above, but the above embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and the components may be appropriately changed or other configurations may be added. For example, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the casters 28, 29 provided at the bottom of the base parts 26, 27 may use stoppers 3 having a stopper mechanism. In this case, the casters 3 with a stopper function have a form in which a brake pad slides on the surface of the rolling part (wheel) 30, and the rolling operation part 31 that operates the brake pad can be operated to allow or stop the rolling of the rolling part (wheel) 30. When using this type of caster 3 with a stopper function, it is sufficient to use it only on the rear side when moving the base. This is because even if not all of them have a stopper function, the movement of the base parts 26, 27 can be stopped, and using it on the rear side makes it easy to operate. In addition, a long connecting means 4 that connects the rolling operation part 31 may be installed in order to operate the left and right base parts 26, 27 simultaneously. The long connecting means 4 has an engagement groove 41 on one side, and the rolling operation parts 31 of the left and right casters 3 are engaged in the engagement groove 41. This makes it possible to operate the left and right casters simultaneously when operating the rolling/stopping of the casters 3 on one side.

As a means for stopping the casters 28, 29 at a predetermined position, a wheel stopper 5 as shown in Fig. 8(b) and (c) may be installed on the floor surface. This wheel stopper 5 has a depression 51 at the end of a gentle slope onto which the wheel parts of the casters 28, 29 can ride up, and by moving the casters 28, 29 up to this depression 51, the wheel parts can fit in and stop rolling. When using such a wheel stopper 5, it is sufficient to install it so that it acts only on one of the casters 28, 29 that is located forward in the direction of movement of the base. Note that when the rolling parts are to be removed from the depression 51, the base parts 26, 27 can be tilted to lift up the embedded wheel.

The second modified example is shown in FIG. 9. Note that (a) and (b) in FIG. 9 are the same form, but show a front view (from the care recipient's side) and a back view (from the caregiver's side). In the second modified example, as shown in FIG. 9, a curtain 6 is installed on a base 2. The base 2 in this embodiment is configured to have a connecting member 23 at the upper end of the posts 21 and 22, and a curtain rail is attached to the underside of this connecting member 23, and the curtain 6 is hung from the curtain rail. Since the curtain rail is used, the curtain 6 can be moved in one direction and gathered up. Therefore, the curtain can be used to expand and block the view only when it is necessary to eliminate the sense of embarrassment of the care recipient, that is, only during diaper changing.

As another modification, for example, as shown in FIG. 10(a), in addition to the connecting member 23 provided at the upper end of the support 21, 22, a second connecting member 23a for connecting near the lower end can be provided to make the upright body of the support 21, 22 sturdy. A third connecting member 23b may also be provided. Also, as shown in FIG. 10(b), reinforcing members 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b are provided between the support 21, 22 and the base portion 26, 27. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the base portion 26, 27 basically supports the tilt of the support 21, 22 due to the weight of the care recipient, but reinforcing members 21a to 22b are provided to reinforce the strength of both (the upright strength of the support 21, 22).

Furthermore, since the height of the locking parts 24, 25 determines the height to which the lower limbs of the care recipient should be raised, the height of the locking parts 24, 25 may be configured to be adjustable. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11(a), for example, a method of providing second locking parts 24a, 25a near the locking parts 24, 25 protruding from the posts (two posts) 21, 22 may be used as an adjustment method. Furthermore, additional third locking parts 24b, 25b may be provided. In this case, it is preferable to configure the locking part located at the upper position to have a shorter protruding length than the locking part located at the lower position. The reason for this is that when locking the support body 1 while adjusting the height, the range of movement of the support body 1 can be reduced when it is locked to the upper locking part after being locked to the lower locking part.

As a variation of the height-adjustable mechanism, as shown in FIG. 11(b), a height-adjustable through-hole (which may be a single hole or a bell-shaped hole) is provided in the posts 21, 22, the slider 7 is allowed to slide along the posts 21, 22, and the slider 7 is fastened by a fastening member 8. In this case, the locking portions 24, 25 are configured to protrude from the slider 7.

<Summary>
Since the embodiment and the modified example of the present invention are as described above, when changing the diaper of the care recipient HM, the support 1 supports the vicinity of the ankle AK and the support columns 21, 22 are moved, so that the posture of the care recipient HM can be guided to a desired state. This makes it possible to lift the lower limbs LE of the care recipient HM with simple operations without requiring difficult operations from the preparation stage. By using such a care support device 100, the burden on the caregiver is extremely limited, and the burden on the caregiver can be reduced.

Reference Signs List 1 Support 2 Base 3 Caster with stopper function 4 Connecting means 5 Wheel stopper 6 Curtain 7 Slider 8 Fastening member 11 Notch (concave surface)
12 through hole 13 female screw 14 fixing screw 21, 22 support 23, 23a, 23b connecting member 24, 24a, 24b, 25, 25a, 25b engaging portion 26, 27 base portion 28, 29 caster 30 rolling portion (wheel)
31 Rolling operation part 41 Engagement groove 51 Depression part 100 Nursing care aid BD Bed BM Bed mat SF Futon HM Care recipient HD Care recipient's head AK Care recipient's ankle BT Care recipient's buttocks HL Care recipient's heel FM Care recipient's thigh KN Care recipient's knee LE Care recipient's lower leg LL Care recipient's lower leg

Claims (9)

A nursing care support device for lifting the lower limbs of a care recipient lying on one's back using the backs of the knees as a fulcrum when changing a diaper,
The device is provided with a rod-shaped support member having a length sufficient to simultaneously support the backs of the knees of both legs of a care recipient, and a base for maintaining the support member at an appropriate height,
The base comprises two support pillars arranged on either the left or right side of the bed or futon on which the person being cared for lies on his or her back, a connecting member which integrates the two support pillars while maintaining the two support pillars at an appropriate width, and a locking portion formed on each of the two support pillars which locks the support body near both ends to the two support pillars, and at least the two support pillars are arranged so that they can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the bed or futon. The nursing aid according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion, either alone or together with the support, forms a contact area that contacts the support at at least two points, and limits the rotation of the support around its axis when the weight of the care recipient's lower limbs acts on the support. The nursing aid according to claim 2, wherein the locking parts are arranged at the same height on each of the two supports to form a pair, and the two supports are provided with one or more pairs of locking parts. The nursing aid according to claim 3, wherein the base has two base parts that hold the two supports in an upright position, and the base parts are provided long along the longitudinal direction of the bed or mattress. The nursing aid according to claim 4, wherein the two base parts each have a caster at the bottom, the caster is provided so as to be able to roll at least in the longitudinal direction of the bed or futon, and the caster has a rolling operation part for operating to allow and stop the rolling. The nursing care aid according to claim 5, wherein the rolling operation unit is provided with a connecting means so that it can be operated simultaneously with respect to the casters of the two base parts. The nursing aid according to claim 6, wherein the support has an external cross-sectional shape that is circular and has a diameter of 20 mm to 50 mm. A method for using the nursing care aid according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The base is arranged in advance such that the support pillars are disposed on both sides near the ankles of the care recipient,
The support body is released from the locking portion of the base, and the support body is separated from the base. The support body is prepared so that the heel side of the ankle of the care recipient lying on the back is placed on the support body.
In this state, the support body is raised and both ends are engaged with the engaging portions of the left and right columns, so that the ankle area of the care recipient is raised by the care assisting device.
A method of using a care aid characterized in that from this position, the entire care aid is moved toward the head of the care recipient, thereby moving the contact position of the support body against the care recipient's lower leg from near the ankle to the back of the knee, while raising the entire lower leg, and further moving the care aid toward the head of the care recipient to bring the care recipient's thighs closer to the abdomen, and stopping the movement of the care aid in a state where the area around the buttocks is lifted. A method for using the nursing care aid according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The base is arranged in advance such that the support pillars are disposed on both sides near the ankles of the care recipient,
The support is prepared in a state where it is engaged with the engaging portion of the base,
In this state, the lower limbs of the care recipient are lifted one by one so that the ankles are supported by the support.
A method of using a care aid characterized in that from this position, the entire care aid is moved toward the head of the care recipient, thereby moving the contact position of the support body against the care recipient's lower leg from near the ankle to the back of the knee, while raising the entire lower leg, and further moving the care aid toward the head of the care recipient to bring the care recipient's thighs closer to the abdomen, and stopping the movement of the care aid in a state where the area around the buttocks is lifted.

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