I will answer even though this is an old post. There ARE inflatable devices to aid in lifting a person. Actually made, designed and tested to aid in lifting. I would rather use a product made for such help rather than tie innertubes together. Actually the FIRST and best option is to call for a Lift Assist either 911 or the non emergency number. much safer for everyone that way.
I said (facetiously) in an earlier post that we might see this invention on Shark Tank.
Does anyone remember the Shark Tank episode where a man created special underwear for his wife who had Crohn’s disease?
Oh my gosh! I think the product involved charcoal or something to eliminate odor!
He didn’t get any investors but he did receive some very interesting comments from the Sharks! I think they told him to go to a medical supply store to pitch his idea.
How much does the person on the floor weigh? If 600 pounds, pop pop pop. If 85 pounds, she might fall into one of the inner tube holes and no one could get her out. So then they'd have to pop the inner tubes with Granny's knitting needles or leave her there while they go out and get a beer. Root beer, hopefully, because Granny don't like beer breath no way.
There are lifts made to help get people off the floor. The one I saw is $400. You can also start by getting them on a stool, from the stool to a chair. Hopefully they can help with their legs. My daughter, RN, placed her legs apart even with her shoulders. Had my Mom put her arms around her neck then put her arms under Moms armpits and clasped hers around Moms back and lifted her with her legs. Never use ur back to lift.
This is how my mom managed to get up on her own. Once in a while she could manage to push herself up by using something sturdy to push herself back up.
I never attempted to pull her up. She was thin but dead weight! I would have ended up hurting myself.
That’s interesting that your daughter found a technique that worked for her. I agree with you that lifting with our backs is a bad idea.
My mother generally fell backwards which is common for someone who has Parkinson’s disease.
Most times I had to call the fire department to help.
With inner tubes, it depends on how many people you have pumping. If you could have 4 tubes, one person on each tube, each pumping with a bicycle pump, maybe you could inflate all of them before the person on the floor expired of old age.
On the other hand, if you had 4 people to pump, why wouldn't the 4 people just lift Grampy off the floor and toss him into the recliner? Then go out for a beer.
That’s almost as wacko an idea as having four dogs crawl under the person and then having them stand up. Or using carjacks to lift the person into a recliner.
Just call the fire department and be sure to buy their latest calendar when it comes out.
If one is elevated on inflated inner tubes, they still have to have strength to get their legs underneath them properly and balance from a wobbly surface to stand... also strength to pull/or push themselves up with their arms. I don't think I could do it! Maybe log roll to a better place. But keep thinking! Also check with a trained physical therapist...there are tricks of the trade.
Better to teach your loved one to crawl to the nearest chair, stair, or piece of STURDY furniture and have them pull themselves up with assistance that way.
Yes, but my point is they would need to be able to hold themselves upright as the tubes inflate, unless you were imagining much bigger inner tubes than I am 🤔
When my mom fell it was like trying to move a sack of wet cement, she wasn't able to help AT ALL, not even to remain sitting upright unassisted. My strategy was to lift her onto a series of progressively higher stools until she was high enough to transfer into her wheelchair (at that time it was just on hand for outings). But unless you are very strong it's not something I'd recommend.
We tried once with large couch pillows when my Mom slid off her bed once during the night. (Before her Hospital bed.) It didn't work at all, because her legs weren't strong enough to get up that way. Plus, the pillows were unstable.
I don't think inner tubes would be a safe way to try this.
Where we lived, our local Fire Dept. charged $175 per lift assist. Which insurance would not cover. Not free everywhere in the U.S., so that's why I researched this issue.
So, after much thinking about this subject, we wound up having her Doctor order a rental Hoyer Lift. It's pretty easy to use one to pick someone up from a chair, a bed, and/or on a floor. I used it on her Hospital bed mostly to reposition her and put her in a wheelchair. It was very inexpensive, insurance covered most of it. After she passed away, the Medical Supply company came out and picked it up.
It was nice to know it's there if you need it. We both felt more peaceful knowing that it was there.
Just getting higher makes it fairly easy to get to standing. As to the person staying flat, I would think it would be easy to roll onto the UNpumped tubes and then pump them up. I had an electric tire pump at one time. It would pump to 90 pounds.
Why would you invest in inner tubes(which honestly makes no sense to me)when you can call 911? If your loved one doesn't have to be transported to the hospital there is no charge for the EMT's to come out and pick them up.
There actually are inflatable lift devices already, the problem is they cost several thousand dollars - I'm no engineer and I don't know your diy capabilities so I have no idea if you can macgyver a device that would actually work safely.
I think the main problem would be that the extra work to inflate inner tubes (or an inflatable chair or mattress) while lifting the person's weight would strain the pump motor.
Wherever the fall happens how would you get the inner tubes under the person? How much time is needed for the pump to fill? Once inflated, the person will still lie flat, so how would he get to standing?
There ARE inflatable devices to aid in lifting a person. Actually made, designed and tested to aid in lifting. I would rather use a product made for such help rather than tie innertubes together.
Actually the FIRST and best option is to call for a Lift Assist either 911 or the non emergency number. much safer for everyone that way.
Some inventions have been discovered by accident. The children’s toy, the spacewalk was an accident, so was the slinky!
Penicillin was an accidental discovery too!
And to all the people having fun at the OP's expense - show a little compassion (and maturity)
I don’t think anyone is making light of the OP’s situation. Falls are awful.
It’s just that there can be a humorous side of many situations. We are aware of this being a serious issue.
Please know that I certainly am not trying to be offensive to the OP or anyone else. I apologize if it came off that way.
The OP is probably long gone since it’s an older post.
Does anyone remember the Shark Tank episode where a man created special underwear for his wife who had Crohn’s disease?
Oh my gosh! I think the product involved charcoal or something to eliminate odor!
He didn’t get any investors but he did receive some very interesting comments from the Sharks! I think they told him to go to a medical supply store to pitch his idea.
Why not just call the fire department?
The home health nurse who visited mom regularly told me that her husband was a fireman and that all the old ladies were in love with her husband!
I never attempted to pull her up. She was thin but dead weight! I would have ended up hurting myself.
That’s interesting that your daughter found a technique that worked for her. I agree with you that lifting with our backs is a bad idea.
My mother generally fell backwards which is common for someone who has Parkinson’s disease.
Most times I had to call the fire department to help.
That is to say, I am having a difficult time imagining this.
LOLOLOLOL
build a pulley system into the ceiling.
inner tubes might take too long to inflate.
fire dept might get aggravated if you call too many times.
On the other hand, if you had 4 people to pump, why wouldn't the 4 people just lift Grampy off the floor and toss him into the recliner? Then go out for a beer.
Just call the fire department and be sure to buy their latest calendar when it comes out.
In short not worth the hassle tbh.
Having a lifting device, is a handy thing. Having a safe device, safe for both user & faller to use is obviously important.
Is your loved one falling a lot?
What fall preventative strategies & equipment do you already have?
Fortunately no one has yet suggested pumping up the person with helium like a Macy’s parade balloon.
SnoopyLove
Plus, the pillows were unstable.
I don't think inner tubes would be a safe way to try this.
Where we lived, our local Fire Dept. charged $175 per lift assist. Which insurance would not cover. Not free everywhere in the U.S., so that's why I researched this issue.
So, after much thinking about this subject, we wound up having her Doctor order a rental Hoyer Lift. It's pretty easy to use one to pick someone up from a chair, a bed, and/or on a floor. I used it on her Hospital bed mostly to reposition her and put her in a wheelchair.
It was very inexpensive, insurance covered most of it. After she passed away, the Medical Supply company came out and picked it up.
It was nice to know it's there if you need it. We both felt more peaceful knowing that it was there.
SnoopyLove
As to the person staying flat, I would think it would be easy to roll onto the UNpumped tubes and then pump them up.
I had an electric tire pump at one time. It would pump to 90 pounds.
I think the main problem would be that the extra work to inflate inner tubes (or an inflatable chair or mattress) while lifting the person's weight would strain the pump motor.