What is a transfer chair? What are the functions of a transfer chair?
The transfer chair is a mobility aids specially designed for the elderly. The lift is often used for home care of the elderly and disabled people. It helps the elderly move their bodies more easily in their daily lives and provide home care and transportation. The transfer chair can reduce the difficulty and safety risks of home care for the elderly and improve the quality and efficiency of care.
Compared with traditional manual transfer, the lift only requires the cooperation of a family caregiver and the elderly to complete the entire transfer process, which reduces the labor cost and difficulty of elderly care and also brings greater convenience to the elderly. More convenience and confidence in your daily life.
Classification of Transfer Chairs
Currently, transfer chair on the market are roughly divided into two categories. One is the manual transfer chair, which uses a manual rocker or hydraulic assist to help home caregivers easily move the body through a lifting mechanism, such as transferring from a bed to the sofa, from indoors to the courtyard.
The other is an electric transfer chair, which uses a lithium battery to drive a motor to lift, which can help the elderly to move more quickly. Its transfer efficiency is also higher and suitable for scenarios that require frequent transfers of the elderly.
Comparison of advantages and disadvantages of lifts
| Type/Performance Comparison | Advantages | Disadvantages | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual Transfer Chair | Double rocker design, simple and easy to use, low failure rate, cheap and durable | The lifting speed is slow and cannot cope with the sudden transportation needs of the elderly | ★★★☆☆ |
| Hydraulic Transfer Chair | Foot-operated hydraulic assist for quick lifting and lowering | Moving older people who weigh more requires more effort | ★★★☆☆ |
| Electric Transfer Chair | The motor is directly driven to assist, and the lifting is fast and stable. It is suitable for fast and high-frequency transfers, and the overall experience is good | The price is higher, and the built-in lithium battery has certain safety and usage risks. | ★★★★☆ |
| Sky rail Transfer Chair | Easy to move and save effort | Requires top rail installation, limited movement path | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Gondola Transfer Chair | For people without any mobility | Suspended in the air, there is a sense of weightlessness and the experience is not good. | ★★☆☆☆ |
How to use a transfer chair?
The nurse or family members will push the transfer chair to the bed, unfasten the safety belt, open the back, adjust the seat through the control panel lift button to make it flush with the bed surface, help the elderly move around the hip to sit on, fasten the safety belt, adjust the seat height to leave the bed surface, can move.
Main usage scenarios of transfer chairs
Transfer chair is common used for sleeping, dining, shower and moving to somewhere.
A. To the rest room:The transfer chair is equipped with a toilet seat, which is pull-type for easy installation and cleaning by caregivers.
B. Bathing: The caregivers can easily bring the disabled person to the bathroom using a transfer chair. By adjusting the height of the chair, they can ensure that it aligns perfectly with the sitting toilet, allowing for direct entry.
C. Dining: Elderly individuals can use a lift during mealtime to comfortably move to the dining table for their meals.
A. Indoor room transfer: It can help the elderly to quickly transfer to multiple places such as bedroom beds, living room sofas, shower rooms, bathroom toilets, kitchens, activity rooms, etc.
B. Transfer to the outdoor courtyard: Transfer the elderly to outdoor activities to expand the activity space, which is suitable for outdoor transfers with relatively flat terrain and no steps.
Precautions for using the transfer chairs
1. The lift chair is suitable for auxiliary transfer for elderly people with limited mobility, and is suitable for short-distance transfer. Most of the support cushions of the transfer chair are metal, which can provide effective support and stability, but is not suitable for long-distance movements outdoors. .
If you need to carry out activities outdoors, it is recommended to purchase a multi-functional walking chair. A walking chair (link to product) can be used for short to medium distances, and an electric walking chair or electric wheelchair can be used for medium and long distances.
2.During the transfer process of the lift, especially when the elderly are sitting, lying and preparing to move, the brakes need to be kept in a braked state to avoid possible rollover and accidental movement of the lift and ensure the safety of the elderly during use. and comfort.
Guide to Buy A Transfer Chair
1. Load-bearing capacity of the transfer chair
The load-bearing capacity of the transfer chair is an important consideration when purchasing, especially the quality of the load-bearing bracket. Thinner brackets are more likely to bend and deform when transporting heavier individuals, leading to slipping from the bracket.
Secondly, please check if the connections between the bracket and the lift are firm. Some cases show that the bracket and the lift are not welded firmly, which may lead to the risk of falls and more serious secondary injuries to the elderly during the transfer process. The supporting capacity of the lift and the quality of the component connections determine the safety of the lift in daily use.
2.Mobility performance of the transfer chairs
Different from ordinary wheelchairs, transfer chairs generally use hard plastic and rubber wheels. Their wheel diameters are small and do not have the advantage of large diameter wheels. Therefore, transfer chairs are generally suitable for low-speed and slow movements.
During the purchase process, you need to pay attention to the overall movement convenience and smooth steering function of the lift. Transfer chairs generally use an steel frame and have a large overall weight. Choosing products equipped with high-quality steering mechanisms can ensure a longer service life and adaptability to the elderly, and can bring a better daily use experience.
3. Lift height adjustment function
There are differences in height, weight, and the height of furniture among older people. When the lift doesn’t go high enough, it can be inconvenient and difficult for them to move around, especially when they need to transition from a higher position on the bed to a lower position like a sofa. This lack of convenience might make them feel resistant or psychologically uncomfortable. The height of a transfer chair is usually adjustable from 88 to 110 cm to meet the different needs.
Some electric lifts are equipped with functions such as power display, height display, position memory, etc., which can help caregivers complete care work efficiently and no longer have to bend down to check the lifting height.
4. Safety locking function
To ensure the safety of elderly individuals, it’s important to consider their size when choosing a lift and select a support board that fits well to prevent any risks of pinching their hips. The open safety guard should always be strong enough to stabilize the elderly person and help them gradually get out of the seat.
Also, make sure that the foot brake rubber wheel’s locking mechanism is working properly when the lift is fixed in position to avoid any accidental shaking that could cause rollovers.
5.Comfort of using a Transfer Chair
The design of the selected transfer chair should be ergonomic, comfortable, and non-restrictive. The seat cushions and other materials should have a pleasant texture, good breathability, and appropriate softness and hardness.
Ageally believes that transfer chairs for the elderly can truly meet their needs by considering their daily habits and behavioral details, continuously optimizing and improving the product. This will enable us to address more complex scenarios related to aging appropriately while providing a better experience for the elderly.Ageally offers a variety of mobility aids to fit your needs.
