Status
Not open for further replies.

BlueandGold

Senior member
Joined
Feb 28, 2015
Messages
634
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
04/2015
Country
US
State
WV
City
Sandyville
Forgive my ignorance but can a hoyer lift help get you off the floor if you fall? I have a small rubber coated step stool to get in my bed because of its height. Well I was an ass last night. My right leg is much weaker than my left and for some reason I stepped on the stool with my right foot and down I went flat on my back. My wife could not lift me from that position. I managed to pull myself to my wheelchair and get to my knees but couldn't get up. After about 20 minutes of tugging and pulling my wife finally got me up.

So with a hoyer, could she slide straps under me then crank me up off the floor? So humiliating.

Vince
 
Most hoyers will lower enough that you can reach someone on the floor. I have used ours to lift Darcey after she inadvertently lowered to the floor and was laying on her back. I had lifted her and went to get something. Apparently she slowly lowered to the floor while I was briefly away. She thought it was funny... perhaps due to the look of panic on my face when I found her flat on the floor. We both noted, however, that lifting one after a fall would certainly be a much easier task with the hoyer.

Jim
 
I've not only picked hubby up off the floor with the Hoyer, I've also picked him up off the street and used it to pick his chair when he and it ended up on it's side on the ground.
 
Yes it will. The one we got from the VA was power hydraulic and could pick up about 500 lbs from the floor. I had to have hoyer lift training tho
 
Sorry about the fall Vince. If it helps I did something similar. Tried to step up and my leg/ankle couldn't support the action and I face planted on asphalt. Thankfully a neighbor was there to help me up. I haven't gone the lift way yet.
 
Done that also Vince! Crazy how the foot/ leg can just disappear and down I go ,so far no injury, except it really demoralizes me and take all day to come out of that tail spin.
The hoyer works but mine is @ the farm and I am mostly in town now mine is a manual lift but works just fine. I can relate to crawling up to pwc and using all I got to git back up. Really sucks ! Careful dude love ya chally
 
Vince,
Not all pick equally well off the floor because the lowest height the cradle can go varies a bit. So I'd look at the specs on sites like SpinLife (which has a filter on the left of the page for "lifts patient from floor") before you buy, even if you go through a DME.

Reminders to all: for the sake of CALS' backs, get a power lift, even though that may cost some extra under Medicare (thus it is often more economical to pay cash -- the cheapest applicable option I see on SL is $1099 and they are offering free slings w/ lift purchases through Sept.) if a loaner is not available, and some sites offer financing. Many ALSA chapters have indefinite loaners and that should be a first stop.

Best,
Laurie
 
Laurie just recommended getting a power assisted lift over a manual hand operated lift. Our first lift was a cheap manual one provided by insurance. The 2nd lift was a folding portable lift that we paid for out of pocket. I'm in my 60's... over 6' tall... reasonably strong... and of good health. I had no problems with the first lift, so I ordered the manual version. My thought was - "The electric one has to get plugged in to keep it charged. With a manual lift, I'll never be surprised with an out-of-charge lift." Sure sounded reasonable to me... and as the sling I wanted for my PALS was about $600.00, the savings would basically make the sling a free option.

Now, almost 3 years later... I wish that I'd done some calculations on lift use. Here's a typical day for us...

Lift #1 - Out of bed in the morning and onto the toilet
Lift #2 - Up from the toilet and onto the stair chair (our bedroom is upstairs)
Lift #3 - Up from the stair chair (bottom of stairs) and to the power wheelchair (PWC)
Lift #4 - Up from the PWC and onto the commode (late morning potty trip)
Lift #5 - Up from the commode and back onto the PWC
Lift #6 - Up from the PWC and onto the commode (late afternoon potty trip)
Lift #7 - Up from the commode and back onto the PWC
Lift #8 - Up from the PWC and onto the commode (evening potty trip)
Lift #9 - Up from the commode and over to the stair chair
Lift #10 - Up from the stair chair and into bed

This would be the LEAST number of lifts. Some days there are more potty trips... and some days are shower days... each add to the number of lifts for that day.

So we'll do the math => 3 years @ 365 days/year with no less than 10 lifts per day... 3x365x10=10,950 lifts.

Now, 3 years older and over 11,000 lifts later, there are many days that I dream as to what it might have been like to simply push a button when lifting. I only hope my PALS will allow me the privilege of another 11,000 lifts.

So... I'm okay with the manual lift. But I really do think I'd have appreciated the powered version... even if I would never consider changing the particular sling that we use. My back (which I broke from a fall while rock climbing in 1999) really doesn't complain at all the lifting. But my arm and hand would appreciate the break. And with a manual sling, there is the risk of letting someone FALL rather then descend when bringing them down. The powered version controls the descent.

I hope this helps those who have yet to decide their lift choice. My best...

Jim
 
Jim,

What kind of sling do you have and what brand?
 
Thanks everyone for the great information. Jim your post has sealed the deal on a non-manual lift. Can't have my wife going through that.

Vince
 
Jim, Do you mind my asking what size sling you bought and how much she weighed then and now?

I've gained a ton of weight and am up to 140. I'm 5'6" and small boned.
 
Kim,

Darcey is 5'10" and heavier. She has a Large size. I think you would want the medium. I know of someone who just got the medium and who should have gotten a large. The company they bought from won't take it back even though they've only used it to see if it fit. I've worked with both the PALS and CALS via email and phone. I'd love to put you in touch with them if you think you'd be interested in their medium.

Jim
 
Gooseberry...Did the VA provide the training?
 
Gooseberry...Did the VA provide the training?

Probably. They did for my family. They were more than happy to train my wife, oldest daughter and youngest son.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top