Any tips, tools, or products to help lift a 94-year-old, 130 lb. grandparent who has fallen?

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Any tips, tools, or products to help lift a 94-year-old, 130 lb. grandparent who has fallen?

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I have a 94-year old, 130 lb grandfather who is quite stubborn and tries to walk from the bed to the bathroom. We have a commode but he refuses to use it.

In any case, the other day he fell near his bed and my mother who is 63 years old herself had to work hard to try to get him back onto the bed. He has no energy left in his legs due to his energy and age so it's essentially 130 lb of dead weight. She is only one caring for him with no one else in the house to help.

Are there any belts, slings, devices that we can purchase to make it easier for him/her?

Here is some examples but I'm not sure if they work or if there's other creative solutions that we're not thinking about: https://imgur.com/a/GihLHgn
Thanks!

Falls Family Caregiver Grandparent Medical Equipment and Supplies Mobility

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You call 911. They send out a bunch of hunky firemen who are happy to pick him up and plop him back in bed.

He needs to be in a wheelchair if he has no strength left in his legs.

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Firewomen could answer the call too.

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She needs help. He needs help. She can no longer do this alone. If this continues she will hurt herself and/or him. In that instance the problem is compounded. Other arrangements need to be made now.

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I’m sure that other USA posters will tell you all about Hoyer Lifts. There are also many videos about how to get someone up from the floor if they can help a bit – bring a chair over, they get onto their hands and knees, then you put props under the bum, up by stages. That’s not a good description, and it may not work with Grandpa, but worth a look.

What may work better is to leave him on the floor (a pillow and a blanket for comfort) until someone is available to help. Your mother shouldn't be trying to pick him up. Three or four hours lying on the floor won’t do him any harm, and may help him to change his mind about the commode versus walking from the bed to the bathroom. ‘Stubborn’ may not be ‘stupid’.

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A PT can teach a person how to get up from the floor.
(Teaching any person depends on their open mindedness, physical ability & memory or course).

I'll look for the 'MacGyver style' video link:
https://youtu.be/4ETgQD8QhZs

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Simply put it isn’t safe for the fallen person or the person trying to do the lifting to pick someone up, there’s a danger of injury to both. My dad had many falls, was also dead weight. We quickly learned to rely on calling 911 for help. Trained professionals with enough help safely got him back up and assessed if he was injured. There was never a charge and dad was always treated with kindness. This is the only safe route for all involved

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Your mother is going to seriously injure herself if she keeps trying to get dad back up off the floor.

Back injuries are no joke and she may find herself imobile and in a lot of excruciating pain. Not to mention long term damage to her back down the road.

The only safe way for her and him is to call and have the paramedics get him back up.

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Your mother should not even be attempting to lift your grandfather from the floor. Dangerous for him and for her.

#1 check he isn't hurt
#2 reassure him and allow him to recover - don't let him panic and be in too much of a hurry to get up again
#3 prompt him verbally to move himself into a sitting position, and then rest for a minute or two. If he can get himself onto all fours, so much the better.
#4 from there, see if he is able to move himself to a sturdy piece of furniture with a flat surface (by crawling or bottom-shuffling, for example) and pull himself up to his knees, onto one foot, onto both feet and sit - you can guide his hips onto the bed or place a chair ready for him - there are plenty of YouTube videos showing how.

Do not pull on any bits of him, do not hold him round the waist and yank at him, do not use any physical strength to assist him. As he begins to rise, you can place your hands to support his balance and to prevent him coming into contact with any corners or edges on his way up.

If he can't get himself up after one or two attempts, call 911 or your local falls response team (these are gaining in popularity - it's a waste of resources to send a full paramedic team out to a straightforward fall with no injuries).

There are falls cushions commercially available, but a) these are not cheap and b) it would be best to get some training in how to use them properly.

But whatever happens - you Do Not Lift.

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Fantastic response!

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I know this sounds crazy, but, I had the same issue with my mother, who weighed quite a bit more. She saw something on TV that she wanted, we got it, and it worked! It's called the Liberty Lift. It's just a piece of plastic with handles, but it worked! You hang on to one end, they hang on to the other, and poof, she was right up. We were beginning to call the fire dept a little too often. I know they sell them at Ollie's Bargain outlet, and I know you can order it on line. About 20$ and you might be surprised. Good luck!

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The only issue with this, is if there grip gives out. They be i injured more.

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call 911 they help lift

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Where I live I can call 911 and ask for lift assist. The fire dept. will arrive in ambulance and help get my husband up off the floor. There is no charge. They ask if he wants to go to hospital but if not, they just get him to a chair.

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The best and safest solution is to call fire and rescue. Ask for a lift and there is no charge. A quick assessment is done to rule out injury.

Many time this was done when my dad and mom fell. No transfer is done to the hospital unless needed.

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Call 911 or your local fire/ambulance station. My mom fell several times and they'd send out a few people who could safely lift her and check for any injuries. Don't be afraid to call them. This was in two locations, a really small town and even in a bigger city, none of them mind. They would tell her and my dad to call at anytime and don't try to do it themselves.

Like others have said, your mom shouldn't be trying to lift him. She could get injured then they'd both be in even worse shape.

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My dad did the same 18 months ago. I flat out said I was unable to lift him and this was why I asked him to call me before going in the bathroom alone. I called 911. 7 people showed up. He was off the floor and back in the wheelchair asap. He was amazed how easy it was for them, he was a bit embarrassed but he never did that walk again without help. The fireman that arrived said 90% of the calls were helping seniors get up. It is a free service. I said we would send a donation. They asked for it to be cookies. So my granddaughter (9 at the time) made 4 doz cookies and we delivered them Christmas Eve.

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To try to pick up someone that has fallen you risk hurting them and or yourself.
The safest way is to call 911 or the non emergency number and ask for a "LIFT ASSIST"
In most areas without transport to the hospital there will be no charge.
The paramedics are trained to properly lift someone AND there are usually 2 people that will assist.
You, or another will be asked to sign a waiver declining transport to the hospital. But if there is a noticeable injury they may strongly encourage transport. (during the time I was caring for my Husband he fell 8 times, each time I called and there was never a charge. 7 of those times he was on Hospice so I would have declined transport anyway, if there had been an injury I would have called Hospice although I did notify them the following day)
There is another advantage to calling.
They will be aware that there is a vulnerable person in the house that may need more assistance in an emergency.

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Why disturb so many people for something so common, get your LIFTER

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I don't understand this comment. Who has been disturbed?

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People keep advising that lift assists are free but that isn't always the case, people on this forum have been hit with substantial fees. It's always best to call your non emergency numbers to ask about it before you need it.

When trying to help on your own Countrymouse's advice is very good, there are several videos available showing this technique if you search for "getting up off the floor after falls". My mom wasn't able to help at all so I used the step up method, lifting her from the floor to a low stool, then a higher stool and finally a chair - but I wouldn't recommend trying it if you aren't very, very fit.

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Thank you for mentioning that there are sonetines costs involved in multiple lift calls even if it is an additional increase in municipal taxation to pay for lift calls.

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Call 911

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We had to call fire and rescue. After several times, they turned us over to Adult Services (which we had been trying to get but anything social services is not easy). Social Services came out and once they came we were able to get anything we needed. We got beds, wheelchair, etc...
It's akin to having to have a wreck at a stop sign to get a light put in. You could get hurt and so could your loved one. Call them and explain the circumstances. They don't know you're there and have a problem unless you contact them. They are happy to help.

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If a doctor orders Hospice services, covered by Medicare and insurances, you can call 911, tell them it’s a Hospice patient, and they will assist.

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We were able to get an occupational therapist to come over and show us how to best help someone who has fallen without injuring yourself. Probably depending on the disability of the patient (my husband is in mid-stage Parkinsons) it helps. It did for us. Of course there are many factors like strength of the caregiver, weight of the patient, that might make the training useful. Ask your doctor for recommendations on finding one. We found a non-profit that provides that service.

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Please “Google” a device called “Hoyer Lift”. They are used to safely transfer/lift a loved one. Prices range from expensive ( one to two thousand) to a couple of hundred dollars. Check out Amazon, as well as your local (or an online) durable medical equipment company.

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Hoyer lift can be recommended by an OT or PT for some frequent fallers - really depends.

But a Hoyer lift us not safe for many situations; any injury, mild to broken bones, especially hip, injuries to back, neck. Or carer not trained, especially on own as often takes 2 people to maneuver.

Hoyer lift definatly a great tool for those who cannot walk for transfers, but only sometimes for a 'faller' in my opinion.

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He needs a wheelchair to get to the bathroom, a bidet attachment to the toilet to clean his bottom, and a gait belt (similar to a judo belt) to help mom with transferring dad to and from bed/wheelchair commode... and some training by physical therapy to increase dad's ';strength and train mom how to do transfers safely.

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In skilled nursing facilities they use lifts. If your mother and grandfather want him to be cared for at home, it might be necessary to install a lift. A 63-year-old woman should not be trying to lift anyone by herself. My 90-year old mother, who weighed 90 lbs lived in a memory care unit, and sometimes it took 2 people to transfer her from the bed to the wheel chair, when she lost use of her legs and couldn't stand. Your mother (and grandfather) need to connect with a local social worker who can tell them what their care options are. Your grandfather might be eligible for some in-home care. At the very least, your mother may be eligible for programs that pay family caregivers. Your mother needs help, either with in-home aides or if this is too much for her, to consider moving your grandfather to a facility where he can get professional help who know how to deal with declining capabilities and have the equipment to do it. This is a difficult conversation to have, but your mother and your grandfather have to acknowledge what they are actually capable of doing.

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There are Hoyer Lifts if your mother will need to be doing this lifting regularly. There is a bit of a learning curve involved, so take that into consideration. In emergencies your local Fire Dept or 911 service may come to the home to do a "Lift Assist."

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In an emergency situation, like that, she can call 911 and ask for help: our firefighters/EMTS are angels!

If she needs help, she can hire in-home assistance; if he needs constant help, then placement should be sought. There is the help on the right side of this site or they can call, "A Place For Mom."

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My 95 year old dad with advanced Parkinsons started to fall a lot. Sometimes, they called neighbors to help....sometimes they called the fire dept. (my mom was 88 years old).
They were very sneaky and didn't tell us (son and daughter ) what was going on.
When we found out, we were horrified. It's not right to rely on these people.
If he's falling, he needs more care that YOU need to organize or he needs to move to assisted living.
My dad went from falling to not being able to walk AT ALL. That required a 12 hours nurse in the house, which was very expensive but the only option since he refused to move out of his belove home.
Once he passed, mom moved into a beautiful assisted living and doesn't miss those days of taking care of dad at all. She swims in the pool, joined the chorus, plays Bingo, and is constantly thanking us for selling their house and moving her. (the only way she could afford this place was by selling her home....that's how we got her to move)
My advice is to think outside the box.....don't default to what you've done before....It was LOTS of work for my brother and I but we are proud of what we achieved for mom (and Dad, who loved his nurse).
I live 5 hrs away by car and my brother is 1 hour away, so it wasn't easy but we owe it to our parents to care for them.
Best of luck!

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Make is doctor aware of this and he should order a hospital bed with the rails and he will be unable to get out. You can then lower it when needed. You can also ask for a hospice evaluation. Hospice is not just there for end of life but if he qualified they also order his meds, free diapers, wipes etc. as well as any medical equipment needed.

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Hospital bed rails being used without a person's consent is considered a restraint. No longer recommended - due to significant injuries of people climbing over the rails & falling from that height.

Consider other fall prevention strategies first.

A movement alarm is used in NHs for people who require supervision/assistance but won't ask. Beeps when the person gets up from the bed or chair to alert caregivers.

I'd be trialling one of those.

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Hello,
There is equipment called "Hoya Lift". It helps transfer from bed to chair and vice versa. Contact her health insurance company and Medicare. Get her physician to write a statement and indicate that she is "fall risk". Social Services can assist with this information call them for direction. I had one for my mother it was a blessing. Make sure you get training. The seniors will not be able to handle the equipment though. Good luck.

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A Hoyer Lift will not reach the floor with the sling to pick someone up.
And you still need to move the person a bit to get the sling under them. On a hard floor rolling someone back and forth to get the sling positioned would be uncomfortable.

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Try this transfer sling. I sometimes fall and now I call 911, but this makes getting me up off the floor so much easier. https://smile.amazon.com/Obbomed-Transfer-Disabled-bariatric-Handicap/dp/B0827DCBL1/ref=sxin_25_ac_d_rm?ac_md=2-2-dHJhbnNmZXIgc2xpbmcgZ2FpdCBiZWx0-ac_d_rm_rm_rm&content-id=amzn1.sym.568df61d-e115-4cb1-a96a-ba070b8f0935%3Aamzn1.sym.568df61d-e115-4cb1-a96a-ba070b8f0935&crid=11ITOYU5C9Z7R&cv_ct_cx=transfer+sling&keywords=transfer+sling&pd_rd_i=B0827DCBL1&pd_rd_r=014110e9-a6cf-4413-9eef-db516d59a633&pd_rd_w=zlv5J&pd_rd_wg=gjtXc&pf_rd_p=568df61d-e115-4cb1-a96a-ba070b8f0935&pf_rd_r=6P46GZRQ4FMHTRSTFSPG&psc=1&qid=1658524875&sprefix=transfer+slin%2Caps%2C172&sr=1-3-7d9bfb42-6e38-4445-b604-42cab39e191b

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Prior to buying any equipment, ask for a physical therapy consult, not just for the patient, but for family education. PTs are great at analyzing body mechanics and recommending safe alternatives. A PT gave me a step-wise approach to assist my mom off the floor when she was much more independent (and heavier).

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noblerare: Your mother should not attempt to lift her father under any circumstances as she will injure herself and/or her father. He is a frail elder at 130 pounds. Emergency Medical Services should be called for a LIFT ASSIST and also they will check for broken bones since your grandfather fell.

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Unless your Mother WANTS to break her back, avoid any gait belts to pull a person up.

How reasonable is Grandfather's judgement he is fatigued & can't walk?

Would he use a bell?

If he can walk to the bathroom independently quite safely, would he use a bell to call for help for way back? Either for walking or a commode ride back?

There are probably many reasons he has against using the commode. Ask & find out. Then tweak the routine where you can to improve safety.
Eg he may wish to preserve his independence of going to the bathroom IN the bathroom. He may not want to bother family or have trouble holding on waiting for help. They would be MY reasons.. see what his are.

Or maybe a chair halfway would give him a short resting stop?

Many men find a urinal bottle a handy thing for #1.

Prevention is always better if possible 😃. If not, follow all the advice for lift assist & CountryMouses's advice to a T.

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Any tips, tools, or products to help lift a 94-year-old, 130 lb. grandparent who has fallen?

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