Why do people in wheelchairs always have a blanket over their legs?

I worked as a physiotherapist and I teach Caregiving students in a local school in our city. My module with them is Caring and Support of the Elderly People, Bed Mobility and Transfers. When I teach them how to transfer patients from bed to wheelchair or wheelchair to commode they have to put a blanket or a towel over the patient's lap that reaches below their knees or lower.

The main rationale behind this is to secure and maintain privacy of the patient. We have to see to it that the private parts of the patient will not be exposed when he/she is being transported from his room to other parts of the hospital or nursing home. Although this is not the only reason but this is the primary reasons for doing so.

The patients who are admitted in the hospital usually wear hospital gown that is up to their knees in length and quite loose. When they are sitting on the wheelchair, there is a possibility that private parts will be exposed since they will not be very conscious about it and are weak too. And yes, this can also give them warmth at the same time especially if it is cold and make them comfortable as well.

I hope this helps!

I worked for a health authority for many years, driving people to hospital for outpatient appointments or sometimes to be admitted. Some of my passengers were wheelchair users, but very few ever had a blanket over their legs and although I always had a travel rug in the boot of the car in case someone was cold, I never had any need to use it for them. What I did sometimes see were elderly people, sometimes in wheelchairs or sat in waiting areas, or in the communal lounges of old peoples homes with a blanket over their knees, I think that the elderly feel the cold more because of poor circulation.

Quite often, an old lady would be sat there with her legs covered in a crotchet blanket that she had made, busily making squares of brightly colored crocheted wool to make more blankets for her friends. So I think that the answer to your question is that it’s more about the age of the person than the fact that they are in a wheelchair.

My husband's brother is disabled and was in a wheelchair for quite a while. S reason for using a blanket was strictly because his legs got cold. It makes sense that when we are using muscles we keep the blood flowing and when we can not use a part of the body, circulation may not be as great.

My Mom lives in a nursing home and I agree with Anne. Half the time it seems like blankets are used just to keep private. My Mom is on the Dementia floor of the nursing home and there people often forget to cover themselves completely.

A blanket is a nice way of making sure visitors do not get a side peep show. Just my thoughts, great question!

I used to work in a nursing home and some of the people who sat in wheelchairs had a foley, which was hidden in the bottom folds of the blanket. Some of the others had amputated legs or legs that were deformed by the diseases, which ravaged their bodies but all had a blanket to cover them all the time, for dignity sake. Then there are still others with circulation problems such as arthritis, which also deforms bones by the way.

Not only do the blankets provide a shelter for the legs or bags from the eyes of others, it also kept the joints warm. I am young but have rheumatism, which is a form of arthritis and in the winter I usually have a blanket over my legs as I sit and write. I am not in a wheel chair.

When you sit for long periods of time your legs get cold. Many conditions that cause people to be wheelchair bound also restrict their circulation, which also makes their legs cold.

They don't "always" have a blanket over their legs, and yes it is because they get cold more easily.

I have spent all of my life in a wheelchair, and sometimes I have a blanket on, and other times I don't. For me, it just depends on whether I'm cold or not. I live with my parents still, and wear normal clothes, no dressing gowns or whatever.

I do get cold more easily than other people. Mom says it's because I'm not moving. It could also be because I'm skinny.

I think it does have more to do with being old. I've known a lot of other disabled people, went to special ed for a while, none of my friends wear blankets. Now, my grandparents seem to be cold even more than I am.

I think that's weird. This didn't used to be the case, and I find it hard to watch them grow old and feeble.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.