How Ceiling Lifts Act as a Safe Patient Handling Option: A Guide

Safely transferring a patient from their bed to their wheelchair—or from their wheelchair to another surface—can not only be physically difficult, but may even prove dangerous to both the patient and the caregiver. Taking on the full physical weight of another human being can place a great amount of strain on the caregiver, potentially resulting in back strain and other injuries; should the caregiver stumble or drop the patient, further injuries can occur to both parties. That’s why those who care for individuals with greatly reduced mobility often invest in new ceiling lifts to help with these transfers. Keep reading to learn how ceiling lifts can provide a safe patient-handling option in both home and medical settings.

What Is a Ceiling Lift?

If you have never seen a ceiling lift before, you might not be sure what it is. Ceiling lifts are an improvement upon standing lifts that are sometimes used to move individuals to a wheelchair. A standing lift utilizes a sturdy metal frame that can be moved into position beside the user’s bed. The frame has a sling-like seat attached to it, which the user maneuvers into (or is placed into, depending on physical limitations) and is then secured. The frame and sling can then bear the weight of the individual while the caregiver helps to move the lift into position away from the bed and over the wheelchair.

The same concept applies to a ceiling lift, only without the frame. They utilize a system of overhead tracks and a motorized unit. The motor can move the unit along the tracks as well as operate the lifting system. Not only does the ceiling-mounted track provide greater stability than a standing lift, but the motorized system takes even more strain off of the caregiver, allowing them to use a remote or touchscreen to lift and lower the patient into position during transfers.

What Safety Features Are There?

As you can imagine, taking the literal weight of patient transfers off of the caregiver is already a huge improvement for patient and caregiver safety. However, the added safety for users doesn’t end there. Ceiling lifts are equipped with a number of added safety features to further reduce the odds of an accident or injury occurring. These features include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Emergency Stop: Ceiling lift systems will be equipped with an emergency stop button that can be used to immediately stop the movement of the lift system in case of an emergency.
2. Overload Protection: Utilizing any lift system when the user exceeds the weight capacity can be dangerous. Standing lifts merely rely on the caregiver to know what those limits are, and avoid overloading the frame and sling. Ceiling lifts, on the other hand, have built-in overload protection so that the lift won’t operate if the weight limit is exceeded.
3. Safety Brakes: When executing a transfer, it’s important that the patient and sling do not move in an unexpected manner. Ceiling lift systems have safety brakes that automatically engage to ensure the lift stays in one spot during transfers, providing greater stability and preventing those unexpected movements.
4. Soft Start and Stop: Standing lifts, which typically require manual movement, often result in jerky and abrupt movements, particularly when starting and stopping the transfer. Motorized lift systems on a ceiling lift have a soft start and stop, ensuring smooth, gentle, and comfortable transitions for the patient.
5. Anti-entrapment Sensors: Having your lift get stuck on an unseen object can be extremely dangerous. Ceiling lifts have anti-entrapment sensors that detect obstructions along the track and stop the movement to prevent accidents and injuries.

Utilizing Ceiling Lifts at Home

As you can see, ceiling lifts provide a much higher level of safety and comfort for both the user and the caregiver alike. While these systems have become more commonplace in medical settings and care facilities, they’re sadly underutilized for at-home care.

While the initial investment into a ceiling lift might be high, the added comfort, peace of mind, and safety it provides is typically well worth the cost. If even one injury can be prevented, a ceiling lift is a worthwhile investment into your health and safety.

At Southern Mobility Solutions, we understand just how important equipment like this can be in both homes and medical settings in order to provide patients with a higher level of comfort and care. Contact one of our mobility specialists to discuss your needs, and get expert help finding the best ceiling lifts to fit the needs of both the caregiver and the patient.