Hoyer - The good, the bad, and the ugly?

[HoyerHelp]

I have a few questions regarding Hoyer lifts and lifts of that nature. First let me introduce my situation.

I'm currently a senior in biomedical engineering and for my senior project I am tackling the challenge of improving the hoyer lift, very little has changed from the original design of lifting car motors out of cars. I decided to come to the ALS forums for your opinions. It seems to be a place where I could get some different opinions and perspectives being from users, caregivers, in homes and/or clinical settings.

Doing a little forum searching here it seems as though the hoyer could be the best thing, leaps and bounds better than previous methods of transfers. The bad, commonly I saw comments how its difficult/does not work on carpet. The ugly, its big and cumbersome and can look daunting to learn to use especially manual ones.

I'd really appreciate any input or opinions!

• Is there something that you would like to do that your current lift design does not allow?
  
• Do you feel uncomfortable when being lifted? If you feel uncomfortable, when and why you feel uncomfortable.
  or
• Is the lift comfortable to use? Would it be significantly improved if it had some padded handles or brake system?
  
• If you could change one or two things about your lift, what would they be?

Feel free to say anything, these exact questions don't have to all be answered. Thank you so much!

 

[HelenL]

I'm trying to get a harness that I can use with the hoyer lift to stand, pivot and transfer... nothing exists for this, so I bought a harness that hunters use to not fall out of trees, and trying to figure out how to use it with my leg braces.

I figure if it will save a 300 lb. guy from falling out of a tree, it should help keep me stable for some weight bearing on my legs.

 

[Atsugi]

Make the wheels a little bigger to be carpet friendly.

 

[KrisS]

I have been told not to try to use it to lift off the floor. I haven't but that would be very helpful.

 

[Toto's Dorothy]

If the legs were shorter it would fit under my antique claw foot tub. That would make bath time so much fun.

 

[HelenL]

I 've used it to get off the floor...why not?

 

[Toto's Dorothy]

I thought you had said that, Helen. Thank goodness my husband is a big guy and can pick me up still. The lift tends to hurt where I have lost muscle mass ie. My back, shoulders and bum areas

 

[rictak in IA]

We have used one to get up from the floor as well. It might not be recomended, but in an emergency, neither is letting her lie on the floor .
I agree about the larger wheels, just can not use it on carpet.
If the frame could somehow be made smaller (enough to fit under a bed) even if that could mean a take apart system where the boom removed from the base.

 

[notme]

We used them all the time with hospital beds, ric. What kind of bed are you using?

Getting off the floor sucks. My daughter still gets me up if I fall, though I don't know how. No way I can afford a Hoyer lift.

 

[Miss]

We used it to get Terry off of the floor several times. I also pulled it across the carpet. We had the Reliant 450. It wasn't as easy as pulling it across the hardwood floors, but it was very "do-able". The hard part was getting it on to the carpet. I had to pull it backwards. I wonder if the wheels they use on beach wheelchairs would help. Also, the only sling that was comfortable for Terry was the split leg full body sling. We learned to adapt it for toileting.

 

[rictak in IA]

Notme.
We are still in our Queen bed, and right now don't have much need for the Hoyer, but I want it close at hand for emergencys. I was thinking more about storage under the bed, as for use it's fine except for the carpet situation.

 

[KrisS]

I 've used it to get off the floor...why not?

I was told not to try it when MDA delivered it to us. I will have to do more checking into this.

FYI-Here in Colorado, you can call 911 and ask for a lift assist. Firemen come out usually in 10 to 15 minutes and lift him up off the floor to a chair or the bed. I have called about 1/2 doz. times.

FYI 2-Both the ALS association and the MDA will loan equipment.

 

[pearshoot]

sliding under bed or tub seems to be major complaint. i don't use one and not familiar of exact construction how about electric adjustable wheels that raise them all the way up, then attach wide small rollers to frame to push under bed or tub

 

[HoyerHelp]

Thank you so much for your input and opinions! I was really excited to see all the replies, this is a really great forum and community.

I suppose this has lead me to another question, pearshoot and toto's dorothy mentioned it's inability to go underneath tubs.

• How do you manage showering/bathing? Would a shower in a hoyer be prefered or hoyer transfer to a shower chair or being down inside a bath tub?

In talking to a clinical caregiver, she said that many individuals just wheels the entire hoyer into a walk in shower and shower while in the sling as its faster. I'm not sure how many have walk in showers at home, it seems like it would be a real luxury or perhaps its a near necessity with als I'm not sure on this matter.

 

[lynster]

We used the hoyer lift once or twice. It was a manual one (which was what Medicare paid for), and we ended up putting it in our garage for the duration. With that experience behind us, my husband designed a lift made from easily available materials. We installed two - one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom. The bathroom one was set up so that I could move him from his chair into either the shower or onto the toilet. For complete information, installation and parts list, go to "Tips & Tricks," look up "Track for Lift" by pitterpatter. Having an electric hoist was really wonderful. Okay, nothing about this horrible disease is wonderful, but it was way-way better than a Hoyer lift. Our house is small, and working with the Hoyer was really impossible. Good luck on your project.