Newer, Easier, More Comfortable Patient Lifts for Home Care Use

If you are taking care of someone at home who needs to be lifted, there are modern lift devices available that are easier to use and more comfortable for the patient than the devices of a few years ago. At just-patient-lifters.com you can read about the newest developments in patient lifters, which are different from the older styles of hoyer lifts.

Articles at the website explain that making patient transfers with the newer types of lifts is much easier than it was with the older types of lifts that were used before.

The website explains OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Association) concluded that "injuries in nursing homes alone will reach 200,000 with a cost of almost 1 billion dollars. Injuries to care givers in the home care setting are estimated to be even higher...most of these injuries are directly related to patient transfers."

The just-patient-lifters website goes on to explain that mechanical lifters have improved and the slings are comfortable and easier to use now.

Electric lifters allow the caregiver to remain at the patient's side and to use a push buttom to operate the lift.

In a skilled nursing facility and in home care I have used hoyer lifts and electronic lifts. Sometimes people are not accustomed to lift devices, and may view the lift devices with nervousness.

For in-home care, licensed professionals can provide training and practice for caregivers until the caregivers feel comfortable using the lifts.

This may involve the caregivers experiencing the role of being a patient while someone else operates the lift. Having the experience of being lifted by a device, and practicing lifting others with the device, while an expert provides training, helps caregivers to become more comfortable with using it.

In my nursing classes we used to practice lifting each other until we were able to operate the lift smoothly, and relate to how the person being lifted felt. As we became comfortable and experienced using the lifts we were more able to reassure others until they were accustomed to it.

It can be a new experience but I saw many patients in the facility where I worked become accustomed to being lifted by lift devices.