Tips and tricks for lifting heavy elderly person from floor?

[wavinwayne]

Current life circumstances find my wife and me, and our son living with my wife's disabled 70 year old aunt. We help her with her day to day needs. She's not helpless yet but a stroke a while back has left her with balance and now falling issues. Several times over the last few months my son and I have had to pick her up after she's fallen FROM NOT USING HER WALKER!!! She is heavy, probably 230-250 pounds, hard to know exactly. Usually my son and I each get under one of her arms and hoist her back up but it's not easy. The engineer/designer part of my brain says there has to be a more efficient way to lift someone like this but I'm blanking on ideas. We have a non-emergency number we can call and EMTs or firefighters will show up, but I hate to do that every time. Anyone here ever found themselves in a similar predicament who can offer any helpful suggestions?

 

[Pablo]

Current life circumstances find my wife and me, and our son living with my wife's disabled 70 year old aunt. We help her with her day to day needs. She's not helpless yet but a stroke a while back has left her with balance and now falling issues. Several times over the last few months my son and I have had to pick her up after she's fallen FROM NOT USING HER WALKER!!! She is heavy, probably 230-250 pounds, hard to know exactly. Usually my son and I each get under one of her arms and hoist her back up but it's not easy. The engineer/designer part of my brain says there has to be a more efficient way to lift someone like this but I'm blanking on ideas. We have a non-emergency number we can call and EMTs or firefighters will show up, but I hate to do that every time. Anyone here ever found themselves in a similar predicament who can offer any helpful suggestions?

My dad is not a large man, but lifting even him is a royal pain. At the time, even the well paid caregivers were NOT allowed to lift a person

There are sling lifts with what looks like an engine (cherry picket geezer term) lift - I warn you - they are a hassle too AND they are made to lift a human from a bed to a chair. BUT can go low enough for floor lifting but gonna still big pain but you won't blow a hernia. EDIT: AKA Hoyer Lift, fanks ripper!!

They also make two person belt lifts, still difficult.

Tell her if she falls using her walker you will definitely help. If she falls without, well she will be left to squirm in her own excrement. Shock works on some people.

 

[ripcord]

What you need is called a Hoyer Lift. I think they are commonly available at used medical equipment stores.

https://www.amazon.com/hoyer-lift/s?k=hoyer+lift

 

[wavinwayne]

...Tell her if she falls using her walker you will definitely help. If she falls without, well she will be left to squirm in her own excrement. Shock works on some people.

We're quickly approaching this, unfortunately. This whole situation isn't likely to have a heart warming ending.

 

[mccandish]

It's easy as pie



Seriously, though, can this be of any use in your situation?



And, finally, for the engineer

 

[wavinwayne]

What you need is called a Hoyer Lift. I think they are commonly available at used medical equipment stores.

https://www.amazon.com/hoyer-lift/s?k=hoyer+lift

Thanks for the link.

 

[wavinwayne]

It's easy as pie



Seriously, though, can this be of any use in your situation?



And, finally, for the engineer

Not even kidding, I watched all those earlier today. First one is funny.

 

[ripcord]

My buddy used to swear that his mom used to slide out of her chair on purpose so the small (female) home care attendant she had would call those handsome young volunteer firefighters who would come and give her some attention.

 

[Pablo]

What you need is called a Hoyer Lift. I think they are commonly available at used medical equipment stores.

https://www.amazon.com/hoyer-lift/s?k=hoyer+lift

Dang yes. Thanks

Here are some belt lifts: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=lift+bel...x=lift+belt,aps,175&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_9

 

[wavinwayne]

My buddy used to swear that his mom used to slide out of her chair on purpose so the small (female) home care attendant she had would call those handsome young volunteer firefighters who would come and give her some attention.

Funny and sad at once.

 

[ripcord]

Dang yes. Thanks

One of my goals in life is to never have a ride in one of those.

 

[bbhero]

We use a rather fancy Hoyer lift that can go just about to the floor and still lift 500 pounds and adjustable front section that tilts etc etc..

Great day how much that thing costs new…

I lifted a lady who was probably 160 pounds all by myself a number of times. And weighed 180 pounds at that time. Wasn’t too bad really.

However when lifting any weight … You can only lift what your grip strength in your hands can handle…

And when lifting a human being… You lose a LOT potential grip strength…. A whole lot…

That’s why draw sheets are so extremely important and helpful.

 

[shortyb]

It's easy as pie

The second technique is what we used to lift folks that were Tasered and still dazed.

 

[wavinwayne]

One thing that makes this situation the most difficult is my wife's Aunt says she sometimes "forgets how to use her legs". Probably from the stroke. So sometimes even when we pick her up, it doesn't work on the first attempt and it's start all over again. Unfortunately a nursing home is probably in her near future. Oh, did I mention her deadbeat, con artist, low life, absent husband who comes by a couple times a week so she can willingly give him money? This circus is good times had by all.

 

[ripcord]

One thing that makes this situation the most difficult is my wife's Aunt says she sometimes "forgets how to use her legs". Probably from the stroke. So sometimes even when we pick her up, it doesn't work on the first attempt and it's start all over again. Unfortunately a nursing home is probably in her near future. Oh, did I mention her deadbeat, con artist, low life, absent husband who comes by a couple times a week so she can willingly give him money? This circus is good times had by all.

I know I speak for all of us lowlife con artists when I say that we really resent statements like that.

 

[wavinwayne]

I know I speak for all of us lowlife con artists when I say that we really resent statements like that.

He's also an egg sucking dog. I would never call you that.

 

[nomas]

Ask an EMT or a Physical Therapist to show you the correct way .

 

[vavavroom]

The first question should be, is the person injured, and if so, how? Never get a person up before making sure they are in sufficiently good condition. They may be rattled and that may make it unsafe to stress them out more by getting them off the ground. It is unfortunate that as soon as someone falls people trying to be helpful endanger the person further by trying to upright him or her immediately. The same thing goes for the person who has fallen. Many rush to get up and hurt themselves more.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I cared for my father for years. I taught him to follow the wall or something for balance.
As others have said, see if he/she is hurt, bleeding, etc. You need to know.

If he fell, I taught him to crawl to a low chair or something solid.
Get to a kneel with one foot on the floor. One hand on knee and the other on the solid object.
Push smoothly but hard enough to rise. Try to not fall into chair.

I have lifted him by hugging under his arm pits and we rise together.
If you have any concern, get help, call 911.

Good luck.

 

[oilfan99]

You can use lift straps it helps alot and makes it easy i got some at harbor freight it's made for furniture but works for people