Any recommendations? I had a long post but the website keeps giving my an error message-wondering about Joerns Hoyer Journey vs Arjo SARA Flex (or Sara Plus)-want one with a seatbelt/safety strap that goes around the back of the knees, and a place to hold on that isn’t above their ears/head.
We currently use a manual transporter lift, but to get LO on it, I have to do a manual stand pivot transfer from wheelchair to electric hospital bed, raise bed up, so they can then scoot/pull themselves up a few inches (they can’t do it from their wheelchair, commode, a regular chair, transport chair-the seat needs to be high like the hospital bed is raised)-we don’t want a passive Hoyer for now if possible as they need to stand for blood flow, prevent pressure sores (they’ve had several bad ones already requiring nursing/wound care, to keep their muscle mass etc.)-they have strong upper body/arms, but legs/core aren’t strong-lost ability to 'walk' (very slow freezing of gait) after respite care stay in a facility last month-haven’t been able to get to PT (because we were stuck in wound care thru Medicare & that PT was short term/not enough)-they have parkinsonism movement disorder (undefined) and Pisa Syndrome (severe lean to right and left sides)-ideally looking for a rental versus buying one so a tech can come set it up and train us, along with a PT (who is coming for a new eval of this lift first as it's been half a year since it was first recommended, and the leaning-especially after sitting in their new contoured back wheelchair, is worse-not sure (don’t think) they'll like the slings of electric sit to stand lifts-they do like the sturdy seat pads of their manual transporter lift but they put a lot of their weight on it (they lean back to rest against that seat) and put weight in the front of their legs/knees against the knee pads (which is what they're for i guess but still a bit concerned about how well a sling will hold their weight hence the pt eval first).
Local DME company has BestCare/BestStand 182 but it doesn’t look to have a leg safety belt nor does it look to have a horizontal type bar to hold on to (hands seem to go up in the air above neck & doubt LO would be comfy like that-we do all changing, etc. while standing in their transport life-20-30 min-don’t think they’ll be able to stand in sling that long)
Saw the Handicare MiniLift 160 Sit-to-Stand Lift on MedMart (don’t want to buy from an online company ideally) & the handle bars look horizontal/good on that one but don’t know anything about Handicare brand?
There’s also the Handi-Move Mobile Hoist 2620 lift but Handimove must be another company (from Belgium?) & haven’t found a rental.
Would ideally love a device that stands the person up like the electric sit to stand lifts do (like Joerns Hoyer Journey or Arjo SARA Flex) to get the person up to standing, but then somehow have the 2 sturdy seats available to put behind the patient like the manual transporter lift (Vive Transport Stand Assist is what we have-like a Sara Stedy). Does anyone know of a product like this? Because I think they could handle the sling to get them up, but I prefer they have the sturdy seat and long horizontal arm rests of the manual transporter lift.
Other wish list items are that it's portable/foldable which I think the Joerns Hoyer Journey is, and very wish list is that it would have optional gait training like SARA Plus-but I think it would be hard for 1 person to maneuver up to the LO sitting on the edge of their hospital bed-it's a bigger/bulky lift.
Hoping to also find a neuro PT ('NCS' certification) to do home care (or less ideally outpatient) to get them stronger to help at all with transfers, maybe to be more mobile again-but need a lift for now as no one else can transfer them & they should be getting up more to practice their standing in manual transport lift but it's hard to do the stand pivot transfers with their Pisa Syndrome leaning-don’t know how the leaning would work with the slings?
I have used a Viking standing hoist in a training session. The person passively leans back & arms do get raised up (I believe). Does not look comfortable to prolong, as in for PT. Used for transfers.
I have used an Arjo electric Sit to Stand many times. Person is brought to stand in a more upright position, weight more forward, arms more horizontal. BUT so heavy & cumbersome to use!
No seat from memory. The study seat is on the manual Sara model. Much lighter to wheel but person does need to power themselves up.
I would be very concerned about suitablility using this with a person with a lean, especially hemi-plegic. People can slip sideways, even with a waist belt & leg straps.
I would also be very concerned about suitability for someone with PD freezing &/or stiffness. Being forced into a standing position could cause damage to muscles, ligaments etc.
Is the aim to have the correct equipment so standing is able to do done as physiotherapy? To avoid being always bed & chair bound?
Are you hoping to find for the right equipment so just ONE caregiver can safely do the transfers?
I can see you are the best advocate & have exhausted many options already. I guess my next question is - if no equipment exists to accomplish the task safely, are you at the end of standing safely?
Is the Pisa Syndrome likely to improve? Or continue to progress as does other Parkinson's Disease.
What has the most recent PT assessment recommended?
I have an electric sit-to-stand lift for my mom. After it lifts her from her wheelchair, we place the portable toilet behind her and lower her onto it. It’s very easy to use and very secure. I had to purchase it on line but it arrived intact and easy to put pieces together. It’s great for transferring her from the wheelchair to the bed.