For Transfer Ease And Safety, Use A Hoyer Lift By Alexsandralyn on Jul 04, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

Some of the people I work with have cerebral palsey and need staff assistance to transfer in and out of their wheelchairs and onto toilets, shower chairs, living room recliners and into bed. Now I'm a strong woman, but I'm not THAT strong, and 70 pounds is my maximum dead weight limit. Beyond that weight, I risk developing pulled muscles and herniating discs, and I'm endangering the lives of the people I'm trying to move because it's much more likely I'll drop them.

At work, I use a Classic Hoyer Lift to transfer people in and out of their wheelchair or bed. Electronic Hoyer Lifts are also available, but the hydraulic Hoyer Lift is simple to use and much less expensive, only $684 at Amazon. I position a half-sling or full sling under the person's body, then roll the Hoyer Lift into position. The legs of the Hoyer Lift spread out, so that even if the person is laying on the floor, I can still position the Hoyer Lift directly overtop of them to hook up the sling. Once the sling has been hooked onto the Hoyer Lift arm, then I just crank it up manually until the person's seat is at the height I need it to be. Then I can roll a wheelchair under the person and flip a hydraulic release valve to slowly lower them into it. Or I can move the entire Hoyer Lift plus person into position on their bed or favorite recliner and lower them down.

We teach each other at work how to use a Classic Hoyer Lift correctly by lifting ourselves in half-slings and full-slings, and I can assure you that Hoyer Lifts are comfortable and comforting when you're sitting in a sling and getting rolled around a room, and then lowered into a wheelchair. And it's a much more dignified way to be transferred when you're disabled than to be manhandled in and out of a wheelchair with a one or two-man lift.