4 Tips To Help Family Caregivers Transfer Seniors

When seniors come home from a hospital stay or when seniors have mobility challenges, they may need help getting in and out of bed or getting around the house. Transferring seniors in and out of bed can be difficult for family members that aren’t trained in safe transferring methods. Personal care at home for seniors is strongly recommended for seniors with mobility challenges or seniors who have just come out of a hospital stay or rehab. With personal care at home seniors can get help from people who have training in how to safely transfer seniors of all sizes. But some tips that will help family members if they do have to help transfer a senior parent are:

Clear The Way

Before your senior parent attempts to transfer out of bed make sure that everything is cleared from their path. Move chairs, clothes, shoes, and anything else that could get in the way. Also make sure that pets are confined in another room so that they can’t get in the way. It’s not unusual for senior and a caregiver to get hurt because a dog gets in the way during the transfer and everyone gets hurt trying to avoid the dog.

Let Them Do As Much As The Can

Encourage your senior parent to move themselves as much as they can. Once they have done all they can you can step in to support them and get them to the next step. But many seniors prefer to do as much as they can on their own. And it’s good for them to do as much as they physically can to move themselves. Just be ready to adjust your position to match theirs. Sometimes the best they can do means that you have to offer support from a physically awkward position.

Use Special Equipment If Necessary

There is no shame in using safety equipment if you need it. If your senior parent is very tall or is heavier than you can easily lift there is equipment that can help you make sure that you are protecting yourself as well as moving them safely. You’re not helping anyone if you can’t physically lift your senior parent but you try to anyway. Lifting a senior that is trying to help you is one thing, but lifting a senior from a sitting or lying down position when they can’t assist you at all is quite another thing. Always use safety belts and other equipment if you need to.

Always Lift With Your Knees

Anytime you’re lifting something in order to do it safely you need to squat down a little and lift with the power of your knees, not the power of your back or arms. In one fluid motion you should push up from the knees to lift your senior parent. That way you can avoid injuring your back or your shoulders because the bulk of the weight is being borne by your legs.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering personal care at home in New York City, NY, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester, Queens, Rockland today. 212-201-6139