OT has recommended a hoyer lift. My husband (75, above knee amputee, disabled many years) is no longer able to transfer himself from wheelchair to other surfaces. We just acquired a shower chair but the transfer has been a blocker. We might rent a hoyer for a month to see if we can use it effectively.My question is HOW do you deal with the sling and showering? Take it off/on, it gets wet, transfer hubby back to the bed to be changed and dressed - huh? I can’t see the steps in my mind. Maybe there is a video on this somewhere.
The reason I was considering it in the first place is because my husband can’t reliably transfer himself (although he’s always willing to risk it, telling me I am overreacting)and he’s increasingly losing strength. He can’t sit up himself even in the hospital bed with rails and the head of the bed all the way up. So I am pulling him to a sitting.position and my 70 yr old back can’t take this much longer. Without a sling I fear his next step is to be bed bound, which he can’t tolerate, or to keep risking transfers until one of us gets hurt. I’ve said many times and he agrees - we cannot afford for me to be injured. His life will change dramatically.
thank you all for your comments - so helpful.
Get proper training. If you decide to go with a Hoya lift, please contact an agency to get an aide that is trained on one of these things. Don't attempt this alone.
"A 75-year-old managing a Hoyer lift alone is risky and generally not recommended, especially for traditional lifts, as two people are standard for safety to manage the sling and patient, preventing serious injury; however, some modern electric/ceiling lifts might be solo-operable with extensive training, full patient cooperation, and proper setup (clear space, good strength), but it's a significant risk, and most experts and agencies advise against it due to fall potential.
Why Two People Are Usually Needed:
Sling Placement: One person positions the sling under the patient (often by rolling them), and the second manages the lift.
Patient Support: A second person stabilizes the patient and ensures their comfort during the transfer.
Risk of Falls: Patients can fall from lifts, causing head trauma, fractures, or worse, a risk that increases without a second set of hands.
Facility Policy: Many facilities have strict policies requiring two people due to liability and safety. "
I would then hook him back up and get him over to the bed. (You can pretty much totally dry someone with the mesh sling). On the bed I would finish dressing him then put the split leg sling under him and transfer him to the wheelchair.
So get at least 2 slings.
Mesh sling with a commode hole.
Split leg sling (easier than the full sling, I had one of those and never used it)
the OT told me she’s never avtually done it but she’s “sure” I won’t have any problem with it and there are lots of helpful videos online. (Rolling my eyes here)
Not many bathrooms will accommodate a hoyer lift to place him in the shower if you are using a stationary chair in the shower.
If you are transferring from bed to a rolling shower chair, then remove the sling before pushing the chair into the shower.
If you don't have an accessible roll-in shower, I don't see how this is going to work.
Here are a couple other ideas:
I have seen a bathtub lift chair - it is a seat which fits inside the tub and raises and lowers. Google Bath Lift Chair if that is something you think might work for you.
If getting in and out of the shower or bath is becoming difficult, it can be very dangerous for both of you. If either of you loses balance, or slips on the wet floor, or you drop him, this can be the injury that is the beginning of the end.
You might consider a sponge bath or bed bath. There are Lots of YouTube videos showing how to do this successfully.
I do this for my husband, who is non-mobile. I lay down a large absorbent pad (cloth, with a water barrier backing) with another smaller pad under the head, and one under his rear end, so I can remove those once wet and soiled. Use soft cloths, a wash basin, I use a large cup with a pour spout for rinsing thoroughly.
Have a dry towel to cover him and keep him from getting cold, a couple smaller towels, like a hand towel size, to be used to dry.
I have also done this while he is sitting up in a wheelchair (or shower/commode chair). Lay absorbent pads on the floor under him.
It sounds like your husband is capable of helping or washing himself. Or drying after you wash an area.
If you do end up using the hoyer lift and get the sling wet, you can use a large absorbent pad to cover the bed, then roll him to one side and remove the wet sling before drying and dressing. Then remove the damp pad. It's good to have a second sling.
the best people would be a CNA or a Physical Therapist.
The CNA from the Hospice taught me how to use the Sit to Stand and the Hoyer Lift.