Declining muscle strength, balance and endurance are a natural part of the aging process. And perhaps the biggest concern for people living with elderly parents or patients is their ownsecurity and mobility.
But it becomes even more important when seniors are either or are bedriddenphysically dependent. In this case, moving the elderly person to and from the bed can be a challenge. However, there are several auxiliary products that can help you deal with this situation and make mobility more comfortable.
In this post, we provide tips on how to handle your elderly parents or patients during transport to and from the bed. You can also find links to some useful YouTube videos along with recommendations for aids seniors can use to get on and offalone out of bed. So, without further delay, let's get started.
Table of contents
How to help the elderly get out of bed?
Good YouTube Videos: How to Help Elderly Get In and Out?
Products that help the elderly to stand up
Diploma
How to help the elderly get out of bed?
Helping someone get in and out of bed might seem like a simple task, but when it comes to dealing with seniors, the task is a difficult one. You must ensure that both you and your loved one remain safe and that can only be done if you follow the instructions carefully and are aware of the risksright toolsthat can provide the most support. So here's how you can help your elderly parents or patients get in and out of their bed.
How to lift elderly people out of bed
Believe it or not, there is a lot to do to lift an elderly person out of bed and while individual circumstances may vary which can alter the process slightly, the generalized step-by-step process is as follows :
1
close to the edge of the bed
The first step is to get the person in bed close to the edge of the bed. However, make sure there is a safe distance between the person and the edge of the bed.
2
Roll onto side
Since the patient is already close to the edge, help him turn onto his side. If a bed rail is attached to the edge of the bed, the patient can be helped to roll over. If there is no bed rail, the caregiver must help the elderly person roll onto their side. All you have to do is support the shoulder farthest from the edge of the bed and support the hip on the same side of your body.
3
Get into the sitting position
After the person has moved to the side in bed, it is now time to move their legs over the edge of the bed. If you support this operation unaided, you need to support the shoulder that is on the edge and help the patient to bring his legs to the floor.
4
Keep addressing them
If the person in bed can understand and follow the instructions, give them further cues throughout the process. The more you communicate, the better the process will be for both of you. However, if the patient cannot follow the instructions, you as the caregiver may need more support.
How to transport an elderly person from the bed to the toilet?
Perhaps the most difficult aspect of dealing with an elderly person with reduced mobility is the transfer from bed to bedToilette. Here are two possible scenarios and an explanation of how to handle each situation.
For partially mobile patients
Once the person is sitting up in bed, you will need tools to help the mobility impaired patient get to the toilet using the steps above.
- If a grab bar or transfer bar is installed near the bed, the senior can use it to get into the standing position.
- If no handle is available, the patient can be supported by a walker, a rollator or a walker. These auxiliary products not only help when getting up, but also when going to the toilet.
- Walking without aids can be dangerous and significantly increase the risk of falling.
For completely immobile seniors
For totally dependent patients who cannot walk, there are three ways to transport them to the toilet.
- You can either transport them via a wheelchair (see next section) or
- You can transport them with Advancedpatient transfer devices. The use of such devices ensures that the patient and caregiver are safely transported to and from the bed to the toilet. To start, you need to help the person in bed sit up straight. Then follow the instructions on the transfer devices and you will be better able to transport immobile seniors.
How do you get the elderly from a wheelchair to bed?
If you areuse a wheelchairTo transport an elderly person, here's how to do the job properly.
- Place the wheelchair next to the bed (or any other surface from which the person needs to be transported). An angle of 30-45Öwould help, but this is not always necessary.
- Make sure you lock the brakes and rotate the footrest so it's out of the way. With certain wheelchairs you also have the option of sliding the armrests on the side for a more comfortable transfer.
- Don't forget to communicate with the person to be transferred. Continue providing guidance on what to expect next and how the person in bed should work together for a smoother transition.
- Assist the patient in standing upright with aids such as a gait or transfer bar. If no tools are available, ask the patient to push off the surface with their hands.
- It is best to use furniture risers as it is easier for dependent patients to get up and sit down on raised surfaces as it relieves stress on their joints.
- And finally, the standing patient has to swing his bottom to the adjacent wheelchair. Once the wheelchair is directly under the hips, the seniors must gradually sit down.
- Now put the footrest back in its original place and your patient is ready for transport.
Good YouTube Videos: How to Help Elderly Get In and Out?
If you still don't know how to help the elderly get on and off, watch the videos below to better understand the procedure.
Getting out of bed with help (without a bed rail)
Getting into bed with help and bed rails
Transfer from bed to wheelchair
Transport from wheelchair to toilet (with assistance)
Transport from wheelchair to toilet (with help and lift)
Products that help the elderly to stand up
Transporting seniors can be challenging, but there are several aids that can help them get in and out of the city safely and comfortably. Some of the products that can contribute to safe mobility are as follows.
hospital bed
Ahospital bedis usually recommended for patients with multiple medical conditions. The bed allows for repositioning and weight shifting for people who have difficulty getting in and out of bed.
The height of the hospital bed can be adjusted. The height of the bed is important because if the height is too low, it will be difficult for a person to get out of bed. They're also low-slung, which can put stress on different parts of the body.
Rising from beds that are too high provides adequate support and the person in bed feels more confident standing up. In addition, hospital beds usually have bed rails and if there are no bed rails, you can simply attach these to the sides.
In addition, the headrest can be raised to a comfortable angle where the patient is already partially seated. This makes standing much easier.
Adjustable bed
Unlike a hospital bed where the top and bottom of the bed are flexible, an adjustable bed can be converted into multiple positions, which have real practical benefits for the elderly.Adjustable bedssupport all parts of the body so that the patient can position himself comfortably in bed. In addition, an adjustable bed helps patients cope with various sleep disorders, chronic pain and heartburn.
wedge pillow
Similar to how an elevated hospital bed headrest works, awedge pillowis designed to support the torso and upper body. For people who have difficulty getting out of bed with aSchaumbettkeilunder the pillow allows such patients to partially elevate their upper body. This elevation helps with sitting upright. In addition, the wedge pillow is inexpensive and portable, so you can carry it from one room to another. However, foam wedge pillows will need to be replaced over time as they can deteriorate.
Bed grid
Bed gridis one of the most commonly used tools. Frail and immobile seniors have difficulty rolling from side to side. In addition, they may need support to sit up straight if they are in a recumbent position. However, your elderly parents or dependent patients can enjoy greater independence with bed rails.
The support product can be attached to the sides of the bed or to the floor and walls and allows the user in a recumbent position to sit upright with minimal or no support. The product not only supports mobility, but also contributes to patient safety. There is a wide range of bed rails on the market and you can easily find the one that best suits your needs.
Transferpol
ATransferpolis a fixed support that is positioned vertically a few inches from the bed and helps lift patients off the surface. It is attached to the floor and braced between panels on the ceiling. A transfer bar is installed by a professional, but it is fixed. So if you plan to rearrange the bed, you need to rearrange the transfer bar as well.
Gang help
Many seniors rely on a walker for stability and balance. A walker can enable older people to stand up easily from any surface while seated. In addition, it provides support when walking and even when they are not walking, a walker ensures that the individual is constantly supported while standing. You will find a variety of walking aids with different levels of support. Although a single point base provides support, it's best to invest in a tripod base and a quad base for better coverage.
Walker/Rollator
When a person's physical abilities decline: awalker, also called a rollator, provides the necessary support. It is ideal for patients with chronic medical conditions and difficulties lifting assistive devices such as walkers. Since it is a rollator with attached wheels, it does help when getting out of bed, but if used improperly, the same aid can also lead to falls and injuries. Therefore, it is best to invest in a rollator that has a larger base as this contributes more to the stability of the equipment.
handrail
Another tool that can help the elderly person stand up comfortably is a grab handle. It works similar to a transfer bar but is placed horizontally. In addition, it is much shorter in length compared to a transfer bar. A grab bar can be placed near the bed but is just as effective when installed in the bathroom as it provides adequate support when getting up from the toilet and returning to a standing position.
furniture riser
If the bed is too low to the floor, most seniors can find it difficult to get out of bed. Too low a surface can put a lot of pressure on the joints. Also, getting up from a low surface requires a lot of energy that older people often lack. Ideally a hospitaladjustable bedallows to increase the surface, but in case you are looking for a temporary and cheap solution, a furniture riser can be of great help. These are wooden blocks or plastic risers that can enable you to get out of bed on your own. And when you use furniture risers, you only have to minimally rearrange or renovate the furniture.
Diploma
Reduced mobility is a natural and almost inevitable part of the aging process. And getting the elderly in and out of bed safely remains one of the biggest concerns. However, if you are a caregiver or live with elderly parents, this guide will help you cope better with the situation.
There are simple steps you can follow and a description of several tools that can help you. Make sure you use proper support devices for more comfortable transfers to and from the bed. After all, nothing can replace the human element, regardless of the gear you use. Keep communicating with loved ones during transit, and when they are on board, you can certainly expect a smoother transition.
References:
4 transfer devices that help the elderly to stand up
8 tools to help the elderly get out of bed
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