4 Transfer Aids to Help Elderly Out of Bed
With time we all age. And with ageing, we are accompanied with weak muscles, lower endurance, poor balance. Elderly people have to face many challenges in their daily lives due to these factors. Out of which, transferring themselves from one place to another is one of the major challenges. Be it getting in and out of bed, from bed to wheelchair, or vice versa, the struggle is immense.
However, there are some aids that can make the lives of elderlies better. For instance, a backrest for bed is one of the most popular aids among elderlies. Similarly, there are several other transfer aids that help elderlies to move from point A to point B. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the major transfer aids for elderlies. So, without a further ado, let us begin.
1. Bed Railing
Elderlies often find it difficult to pull themselves out of bed. This struggle gets even more intense if the elderly are on the heavier side. Moreover, there are also chances that they might roll over and fall from bed, which could be fatal given their age.
Bed safety rails or bed railings is a common solution that can resolve all the above mentioned challenges. You can install this transfer aid to the bed or near it. Bed railings work by enabling the user who is in the lying down position to pull on the handle to get themselves up in a sitting position.
Talking about the various models of bed safety rails, most models consist of a board or a pair of metal poles that goes underneath the mattress. Generally, it is installed under the user’s weight on the mattress. However, some seniors may complain of back aches due to this setup. That’s why some users choose alternative bedrail designs. Other types of bedrails include the one that can be installed into the flooring. The other type is known as swing away railing that can be drilled into a wall near the head of the user’s bed.
2. Pivot Discs:
A transfer or pivot disc is a transfer aid device that is designed to bear the weight of at least one leg. It helps those elderly people by rotating their body who find it difficult to get up on their own. It can be because of many reasons like arthritis, accidents or many other diseases.
This device is used for transferring patients from bed to their wheelchairs or sofas or to any sitting position and vice versa. Prime motive of this device is to help rotate their bodies to move in or out of any sitting position.
It is an assisting tool for people with limited mobility as well, who cannot lift themselves. You need to place the pivot disc carefully. While selecting a good pivot disc, you need to make sure it has a good grip to hold on to. It should also have nominal swivel speed for getting a good gripping surface so that the user does not fall off. This disc should also contain an adhesive strip as an extra grip if needed. It should also have a handle and it should be light weight with a maximum weight capacity to help the user lift off their weight through this disc. The most important factor is a 360-degree rotation.
3. Lifting Poles:
Lifting poles are specially designed for elderly people to help them stand and sit. Lifting poles are the large poles that stretch from floor to ceiling and can fit to any room ceiling. These poles need to be installed next to bed and these can support upto 400 pounds of weight. Most poles come with a hand grip attached. These poles can also be installed in bathrooms and kitchens wherever there is a requirement to sit and stand.
These poles can be attached to the ceiling wall or just free standing. The most important thing to keep in mind is that it should be strong enough to lift the weight of the elderly. Elderly should not trip over it. Some range of mobility is needed to use this device.
4. Leg Lifters:
Lifting legs is a common task for most of us. But unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the elderlies. It is mainly because elderlies lack the strength and muscle tone on their legs. Leg lifter is an aid that can help such elderlies to move in and out of the bed safely.
It is quite easy to use as elderlies just have to position their legs in the foot loop and then pull the strap with their hands. This aid is useful for elderlies and people with hip injury or hip replacement.
Conclusion:
Getting in and out of bed is taken for granted until it becomes difficult. There are many assistive aids like bed safety rails which help do this movement more smoothly. There are also aids like backrest for bed that helps elderlies to rest on bed with utmost peace. Here, you need to figure out what will best work for them so it does not affect their movement muscles further. You need to make sure that getting in and out of bed becomes easier for them.
