Introduction
Transportation can become a real challenge when an elderly person has difficulty moving around. As the body ages, it becomes less flexible and stability is reduced. One of the most common problems is that the elderly person may have difficulty in keeping their balance or being able to walk without assistance.
A number of solutions are available for this problem, but many caregivers just resort to physically carrying them to another location. While this may be all there is left to do, it’s usually not an optimal solution because it’s not possible for most people who are older or weaker to carry someone else very far before getting winded.
Lifting, moving, and lifting can be difficult for anyone to do. Even for the best of us at doing these things, there is a whole world of elderly people that you must think about: The elderly can have different diets from working adults so their kinetic energy is not the same; they might be overweight or heavy which makes them harder to lift; their bones are more brittle and may break easily so they need extra care when setting them down. There are many more factors such as years spent living in a wheelchair that can make it difficult for an adult to safely lift an elderly person into and out of one.
16 Tips To Safely Lift And Transfer Elderly
1. Before doing any physical lifting, there needs to be a shared understanding of the task that needs to be done. The caregivers and the elderly person should determine what is required, when it is needed, what help can be offered, and any other relevant details.
2. Research has proven that with age comes a loss of muscle mass in about 10% per decade after the age of 20. So this means the elderly might not have as much strength as people decades younger than them. It’s more like a regular individual will start losing strength at 50 years old while an elderly person will start losing at 70 years old.
3. The elderly person should be informed of the limitations and demands that have been determined by the caregivers. During this time, they should also listen to what their caregivers are saying about what is best for them.
4. The caregiver will need to make sure that the elderly person does not have anything in their mouth or around their neck. The caregiver will also need to ensure that there are no sharp objects in the elderly person’s clothing or hair as well.
5. While lifting an elderly person, take care not to injure any joints or other body parts such as the spine or neck.
6. It’s important to have a solid, sturdy base of support before lifting the elderly person from their location.
7. The caregiver should then place the hands under the armpits or on the thighs, whichever is easiest and most comfortable for both people involved in the transferring of weight.
8. When determining where to stand, it’s best to be slightly to one side of your partner so that you can move your weight centered over his/her body and avoid putting excess pressure on them when moving them from one area to another.
9. With your partner on one side, you will want to bend at the knees and hips to maintain a straight line out of the body. This helps keep the spine in proper alignment as you move your partner.
10. When picking up an elderly person, it is important to take into consideration how weight is being distributed throughout each step taken during transportation. Pay attention to how much your partner’s weight is shifting each time and try to counteract it with yourself before taking another step forward. This will help alleviate unnecessary pressure being put on either of you which could be potentially harmful to the skin or bones of either person.
11. A guide can be pulled by the elderly person at the beginning or end of a trip to help with the final leg of travel.
12. When lifting an elderly person in and out of a vehicle, it’s best to place them in an upright position with their feet planted on the ground rather than trying to wrap them up in blankets which make it hard for you to get good traction with your feet and could easily result in injury without proper footing.
13. It’s always a good idea to make sure that both people involved have their own seatbelt on before leaving for any trip, especially if they are heavier than average for your gender.
14. It’s always a good idea to check the elderly person for any medical issues in order to properly plan for any transportation of them.
15. Remember that when transporting an elderly person, they need care and support at all times while they are in your care. This will ensure that your safety is not jeopardized by the elderly person if they should pass out or become ill during the transportation process.
16. Transporting a senior to a doctor or hospital can be easy with the help of a wheelchair lift or ramp, but remember that these items are also very helpful if it’s possible to use them concealed within an interior part of a vehicle such as a trunk.
Conclusion
It’s important to safely lift and transfer elderly people because a fall or injury can result in serious harm to the person being transported. This can mean decreased mobility, immobility, amputation of body parts, or even death.
Lifting and transferring elderly people can be done by anyone at any time. Most of the problems are alleviated with proper planning, preparation, and care when lifting and transferring them.
Safety is one of the most important aspects of living in a home when you are old.
Transporting an elderly person can be easy if you know what precautions to take and how to plan for the best possible outcome. The main thing is that safety should always come first when transporting people of any age, but especially when dealing with the elderly because their bodies are generally more fragile and susceptible to injury than those of people who are younger.