More Details

* Stand up hoists are designed to lift a user onto a supported standing posture and are only suitable for people who can take weight through their legs
* They work by placing the user's feet on a platform with their knees against a knee support
* A narrow sling comes under the arms and does not support the upper back shoulders or head. The user reaches up and holds onto handgrips whilst standing or sitting down
* Stand up hoists can be used to transfer a person from chair to chair, from one room to another, or to allow the carer to attend to toileting and dressing needs

Power
* Battery powered raising and lowering
* The base is either battery powered or manual foot pedal adjusted
* Usually operated via a push button hand held control with a spiral cord

Usage
* Stand up hoists can be selected for the use of one person in a home situation or for multiple users in a hospital or nursing home setting
* Stand up hoists are faster to lift and transfer people than mobile hoists
* They can also improve access to lower limb clothing for toileting and dressing when used with a standard stand up hoist sling

Training
* Ensure the carers who will be using the hoist are familiar with its safe use and with recharging the battery

Considerations when transferring a person
* To ensure a safe transfer it is important to know the weight of the person being transferred and to select a hoist and sling with an adequate load capacity
* Ensure that the person being lifted feels confident with the equipment and with the carer performing the transfer

The person in the hoist must be able to
1) Take some of their weight through their legs as the sling lifts them from a seated into a supported standing position
2) Brace their knees against a knee block to hold the securely whilst they are moved in the hoist
3) Have reasonable muscle tone around their shoulders.

Heights
* It is important to check the height of the bed and chair being transferred from and to ensure that the hoist base can fit under a bed and or around a chair
* Most hoist bases can be mechanically or electrically winded to go around a chair and then narrowed to fit through doorways
* Being able to raise the boom and sling to an adequate height is important for taller users, especially for hoists designed for mobility training

Lift Range
* The lift range encompasses the lowest and highest reach of a hoist
* A stand up hoist cannot lift a person from the floor or from a lying position on the bed. This should be considered when prescribing a hoist for a person with a degenerative condition.

Access
* It is important to consider how much circulation space in which the stand up hoist is to be used. This is to ensure the transfer can be performed safely and effectively
* Width of doorways also should be considered if the hoist is used in more than one room.
* Some standing hoists are quite large therefore their suitability for use in a domestic situation should be assessed before purchase

Manoeuvrability
* The ease of moving a mobile hoist will depend on the resistance of floor covering. It is easier to move a hoist on wooden or vinyl flooring than on thick carpet

Sling
* Hoist slings are selected based on the needs of the person. It is important to choose the right sling so the hoisted person is comfortable and well supported.
* A standard sling on a stand up hoist only comes under the arms and does not support the upper back, shoulders or head. The sling may cause pressure under the arms and not be recommended for people with joint disease of the shoulders. * The transfer, transport or seating sling has leg straps that increase the safety of the user during the lift
* The walking sling supports a user so as to enable them to place their feet on the ground, to be lifted into standing and then be supported when walking
* The specific slings recommended for each hoist should be used because some slings may be unsuitable for use with the hoist, for example, they may have clip attachments that cannot be used with hoists that support loop attachments

Dismantling
* Some stand up hoists can be taken apart for portability
* Bear in mind the weight of the heaviest part and the ease of dismantling and assembling
* Some hoists fold for storage and transportation

Models

Several models are available.
See the Assistive Technology Australia website for details

Standards

Standards
Some assistive technology needs to meet Australian or other standards. Standards may relate to materials, manufacturing and installation. Products that meet Australian or international standards will have written certification. To find out if a product meets Australian Standards ask the supplier to show you the certificate. For more information about standards also see
http://at-aust.org/home/assistive_technology/standards.html

TGA
Many of the items on the Assistive Technology Australia website are categorised as a Medical Device. Medical devices that are approved for use in Australia have been entered into a national database called the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), which is maintained by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). You can ask the supplier for the ARTG number for the device you wish to purchase and search the ARTG for the entry. To access information on the ARTG visit www.tga.gov.au

When buying a medical device it is advisable to only choose a medical device that is recommended by a healthcare professional and has been included on the ARTG.