What Are Transferring And Positioning?
To decrease injuries, proper and effective transferring and positioning procedures must be utilized by qualified senior caregivers. A basic movement such as getting out of bed can be increasingly difficult for your loved one especially if they have a disability or are struggling with their flexibility and strength. Therefore, it is important that your loved one is safely receiving assistance in their day to day activities whether they are in a senior home care facility or at home.
Information About Transfers For Senior Care
Depending on the individual, your loved one may or may not need all of our transfer services. Some may require assistance that requires the use of a gait belt and stand by aid or verbal and physical guidance. There are different levels of assistance in transfers depending on their condition:
- Minimum
- Verbally and physically guiding your loved one.
- Stand by assistance.
- An optional gait belt.
- Moderate
- Use of gait belt who is 50%+ weight bearing.
- The assistance of verbal cues.
- Maximum
- Use of gait belt who is 50%+ weight bearing.
- Mechanical lift if necessary.
Again, please keep in mind that these are not concrete and will be altered and changed depending on what assistance your loved one needs. Our senior caretakers are trained and follow practices with their health and condition in mind. Keep in mind that strict guidelines that are always applied when we are assisting your loved one with any type of transfer:
- An explanation of each step of the transfer will be given before giving time to your loved one to complete it slowly.
- When assisting, your loved one will not be grabbed, lifted, or pulled by the arm joints as this can cause injuries.
- Your loved one will always be transferred by an equally physically capable individual.
As transfer methods and procedures differ from individual to individual, it is important to have a patient and experienced health care professional to follow proper guidelines to prevent injuries. If you experience any discomfort, please speak with a medical professional before continuing. If you have any questions about our assistance and guidelines, do not hesitate to contact us at (780) 328-3917.
Information About Positioning For Senior Care
Correctly positioning your loved one is crucial for preventing pressure ulcers, foot drop, and maintaining body alignment. As these complications can develop over a short period of time, your loved one will be positioned properly and be re-positioned when necessary and needed. Proper positioning after a stroke can help your loved one regain movement and limit future movement problems. It has also been shown to increase protection and awareness of the weaker side of the body.
Speak with a Senior Home Care Specialist
At Harmony Caregiving, we have many several support devices such as foot boards, trochanter rolls, handrolls, and pillows to ensure proper body alignment and that your loved one is comfortable. For information on types of positioning, click here. Proper transferring and positioning are important to assure that your loved one is comfortable and getting the assistance that they need to go about their daily activities without any injuries. Contact Harmony Caregiving by calling (780) 328-3917 for more information on our transferring and positioning services or to get a free consolidation.