When I worked in various hospitals between ten and twenty years ago, a patient lift was, more often than not, my back and brawn.  Not the most ideal way to transfer patients from one area to another, yet the choices at the time were limited.  For the most part back then, using a patient lift was not feasible.  They were usually heavy and hard to maneuver, if you could maneuver them around at all due to their large size combined with the tight contours of a patient's room, with night stands, chairs, other patients' beds, and the small size of many hospital rooms. In addition, the slings did not tend to fit well, or it would take quite a long time to figure out how to properly fit the sling to the patient.  Even after all the maneuvering, pushing, bending, and moving the patients in different positions to get the sling on them, the caretakers then had to push the heavy steel patient lift with the added weight of the patient around the obstacles.  Sometimes, trying to get a patient into such places as a bathroom, the older patient lifts would be too large to get through the bathroom door, and if it did get through, there was usually no room for the lift, patient, and caretaker to safely lower, unhook, and prepare the patient to use the toilet or shower.  Anybody who has worked in facilities with non-ambulatory patients on a wet bathroom floor certainly understands the fear and concern for both patient and caregiver in this situation.

Sure, there were some patient lifts that were better in weight, maneuverability, and patient assistance but these were usually very expensive and were not easy to store away. Smaller hospitals didn't have many of them, and if they did have one, it was difficult to find it because everyone else was using it.  Also, due to a higher center of gravity combined with less weight for better maneuverability, sometimes the patient lift would become unbalanced and tip over with a dangling patient leading the way, falling back toward the bed, chair, or floor.
 

Over the years, patient lifts have become lighter, safer, less expensive, and much easier for both the patient and the caregiver.  One such pioneering company that is providing the latest innovations in patient lifts is Molift.  One example of a Molift that is provided by Rehabmart is the Molift Mover 205 Patient Lift.  This patient lift is ideal for the many different situations, scenarios or patient needs that can happen in a health care facility.   The Molift Mover 205 Patient Lift can lift patients off the floor as easily as lifting them off a bed or chair.  Due to the low weight combined with a low chassis, the superior wheel positioning and a very tall lifting height, the '205' can lift up to 452 pounds over four feet from the floor with easy maneuverability without the column height needing to be adjusted.

Featuring a standard 4-point suspension, when used with a Molift sling, the '205' will provide the patient with comfortable and correct position from lying-to-sitting position, and can also be supplied with an alternative suspension to produce a quick coupling system which helps with quick and simple sling switches.  To increase the functionality of this patient lift, Molift offers a large and diverse range of slings to use with the Molift Mover 205 Patient Lift, including slings to assist with Bathing and Toileting, plus Padded and Amputee slings.  For use in bathrooms or shower areas, the '205's hand control and battery holder meet the IPX4-standard for use in wet areas, and the materials used to create the 'Partner 205' are durable and will not rust. 

One of several other helpful features that come with this patient lift is a NiMH battery that is both environmentally friendly and will continue to perform even with daily intensive use. The '205' is also fitted with safety features that include an emergency stop as well as a manual emergency lowering.  The lift is additionally equipped with built-in software which calculates when the lifter needs to be serviced at times that may fall outside of the recommended annual inspection scheduling, helping to prevent 'down-time' and lengthy repairs.

The number one concern to medical workers and caregivers is patient safety and the Molift Moverr 205 Patient Lift can assist the caregiver in a safe and non-back-straining way to move non-ambulatory patients from one place to another.  One of the major concerns of a medical facility is cost and the '205' will dependably last for years while decreasing the costs associated with worker compensation or possible lawsuits from patients being dropped during patient transfer.  A Molift Mover 205 Patient Lift can be a good fit for everybody, especially the patient.

Bill Stock
Executive Editor,
Content & Social Media Services
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO