We invited Occupational Therapist (OT), Fiona Wasdell-Bowyer to take a look at the Manage At Home website to provide a better understanding of products which aid in the moving and handling of a patient should be used and in which circumstances they provide an appropriate solution. Fiona offers great insight as a qualified, registered OT with over 20 of years experience in adult social care, working primarily for the London Borough of Southwark before joining Medequip as their head of Clinical last year.
When people suffer from daily challenges such as mobility issues and a decline in balance or strength, Moving and Handling products are often suggested to make daily struggles a bit easier. It is important to make sure that the piece of equipment you choose provides the right support depending on the type of help needed and the ability of the person being helped.
Hoists can be used by carers to safely and easily lift and transfer people out of their beds, or a chair and are used in a care home or domestic setting. They are used when the person is not able to stand on their own and they make the transfer safe for both the carer and the person themselves. They can be mains or battery-powered and use slings to complete the transfer.
Slings are used with a hoist to transfer patients. As a huge variety of slings are available, it is important to get professional clinical advice to determine which type and size of sling are suitable for the patient.
(Manage At Home can source slings from all the major UK manufacturers and will be happy to provide a quote for any recommended by your Occupational Therapist)
Transfer boards are used to move from one seat to another of equal height for example from a wheelchair to a commode or from a wheelchair to a bed. It is always best to ensure that the move is horizontal or slightly downhill. A person can use them independently or with assistance and they require upper body strength and balance. Transfer Boards have a smooth surface to slide across and tapered ends and may also be straight or curved, Banana or Boomerang shaped, and some may have handles. They are made from wood or plastic and can be used with a Turning disc to support foot movements.
A patient turner or patient transfer aid is a piece of equipment that allows a carer to help a patient to go from a sit-to-stand-to-sit in the same place with a turn from one seat to the next. It is used in the moving and handling process to safely assist patients in moving from a bed, chair or wheelchair to stand and then sit on an alternate seat already positioned next to them. It makes the movement easier for the carer and more dignified, comfortable and safer for the patient. These aids are not designed to move a person around a room.
A standing hoist (also known as a Stand Aid hoist) is a device that is used to lift and transfer a person from a sitting to a standing position. They are battery-powered and use a secure belt or sling to raise a patient into a standing position and transfer them very short distances to another seat, toilet or bed. Standing Hoists require more interaction and assistance from the patient than a regular hoist and so allow the person to maintain more independence and dignity.
Our Transfer Aids include equipment that is a part patient turner, and part stands aid but with additional features to allow the carer to move the patient a greater distance within the home. These require the patient to have similar body strength and standing ability to that needed for a patient turner. Transfer aids can also include Static Aids and Handling Belts, also used to help move and keep a person safe.
Slide or sliding sheets are made from a low-friction material and are invaluable when moving or repositioning a patient in bed, when turning a patient over in bed and when sitting the patient up. Using slide sheets minimises the likelihood of carers suffering back injuries and provides a more dignified and comfortable movement for the patient. They are available in many different sizes and shapes and can even be used to help put on slings or stop a person from slipping down in a bed or chair.
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