Independent
Living home > exhibition preview
Moving & Handling People
The Business Design Centre
Islington, London
31 January - 1 February 2008
Frances Leckie, editor of the Independent Living website, takes a look at Moving & Handling People
The 14th annual Moving & Handling People conference and exhibition focuses on the changes that are coming our way, thanks in part to the "Transforming Community Equipment Services" project which is currently being piloted in various areas. An opening presentation by Lynne Horn, National Implementation Manager for the Department of Health, should illuminate developments in this area.
Moving & Handling People is a showcase where professionals can update themselves on the latest techniques for safe moving and handling, as well as viewing the newest product developments. This feature concentrates on the new and interesting products which shouldn't be missed.
These companies are featured in this preview: 1st Call Mobility | AAT Stairclimbers | Bartrams Mobility | Geniecare | Hospital Direct | Joerns (Oxford Hoists) | Linet UK | Mangar International | Molift | Nordic Care Services | Promove | Smartlift | Theraposture | Westholme
1st
Call Mobility's range of products designed for the heaviest users,
now includes cleverly designed toilet frames that convert any standard
facility into one that can be used by people weighing up to 70 stone.
The deluxe bariatric toilet frame shown has a comfortable padded seat
and stainless steel legs, and is designed particularly for women. There
is an equivalent surround for men, with an equal weight capacity.
New care beds from the company's bariatric range will also be on show: The Euro 3000LM Fortissimo is suitable for users up to 42 stone, and has plenty of features to make it a versatile nursing bed. The height is electrically adjustable up to 74cm, and there is also a powered adjustable backrest, whch moves from 0° - 85°. The legrest is manually adjustable. All beds in the range have a five year motors and mechanics warranty. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
AAT
Stairclimbers Have seen there products adopted by ambulance trusts,
community transport providers, care homes and many others, as a convenient
means of enabling wheelchair users to go up and downstairs. They will
be showing both a stair climbing unit which is compatible with most manual
wheelchairs, and a wheelchair with integral stair climbing function. The
latter has also been crash-tested and approved for the occupant to travel
in it, in a suitably adapted vehicle.
A new addition to their range is an add-on power unit, the max-e. max-e features two powerful electric motors that receive their energy from strong batteries. The battery pack is located in a bag underneath the seat of the wheelchair. These batteries provide power for a range of approximately 15 km. Due to its low weight and compact measurements, max-e can adapt to nearly any type of manual wheelchair. It is fitted to the chair without changing its geometry, so the driving qualities remain the same. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
Bartrams
Mobility has a new addition to their well-established range of
products to assist with positioning and transferring the heaviest patients.
The Barton I-1000 Chair (shown left) enables a single care giver to transfer
and reposition a dependent patient safely and easily. Its frame is sturdy
yet lightweight, allowing for easy mobility.
The chair converts from an upright to reclined position, completely horizontal and Trendelenburg, with an infinite variety of positions in between. Suitable for patients weighing up to 70 stone, the I-1000 has adjustable head rest and arm rests, which give support for anyone unable to maintain their body in an upright position. With its horizontal, stretcher position, it is ideal for transferring from a bed, without a hoist, while the ability to adjust the recline and tilt quickly and without effort means that the chair can be used for long-term seating, with a significantly reduced risk of pressure damage for the patient. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
Genie
Care is showing the new TOTO Lateral Turning System, a base that
can be added to any standard single bed, providing similar features to
many specialist turning beds, at a significantly lower cost.
The system is compatible with the back lift mechanism of a profiling bed, and can also operate in this configuration. For people confined to bed for long periods, TOTO provides a programmable tilting cycle that periodically moves them very gently (over a 10 minute period) and quietly, so that it does not interrupt sleep. This helps to prevent pressure sores from developing.
TOTO is fully automated, saving busy care staff valuable time to devote elsewhere. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
Hospital
Direct is launching their new Car Assist Packs, which have been
designed to assist people with mobility impairments get in and out of
a car. There are two versions - one for independent use, the other to
help a carer. Both include a glide sheet, for easy swivelling; a Handy
Bar, which fits any car door mechanism, giving extra support; a supportive
leg lifter; and a door strap, which enables you to close the door without
stretching.
The carer pack also includes a padded, wipeable kneeling pad and a strong, webbing belt to help with supporting the patient as they are assisted in or out of the car, without grabbing their clothes.
Both packs come in a carrying bag, with a DVD showing correct use.
Joerns
(Oxford Hoists) has 30 years experience in patient handling,
and will be demonstrating the latest developments in their Professional
hoist range. The Advance patient lift (shown) represents a step forward
in patient lift design and performance, using the latest design and manufacturing
technologies to ensure that it is the most functional and stylish lift
in its class today.
Other lifters in the Professional series include the Arise, which was specifically designed for quick, simple and safe transfers. Unlike using conventional passive lifting devices, the Arise supports using a range of active slings. This encourages the patient to participate during the lifting process. This active style of transfer is proven to keep patients active for longer. Slings are simple to fit, provide excellent access and support for the key tasks of toileting, standing, walking and quick transfers.
The Oxford Presence lift has been engineered and designed to handle almost
any resident-handling task. With its outstanding lift range, the Presence
can lift residents from the floor as well as accommodate transfers to
higher surfaces. The 227kg/35 stone safe working load and greater spatial
area make this lift a perfect fit for larger residents.
With its unrivalled range of movement, the Ascend can transfer a patient
from a low-seated position to fully extended with ease. Its active lifting
motion was specially designed to encourage user participation, which ultimately
promotes patient independence and well-being. Click
to visit this subscriber's showcase page
Linet
UK will be familiar to care professionals as manufacturers of
the Eleganza range of nursing beds. They now have a UK company, exhibiting
for the first time at Moving and Handling People, and launching two new
beds to complement their existing range.
The Latera Acute four-section electric profiling bedframe with lateral tilt (left) is ideal for the care of immobile patients in an array of hospital settings. The bed's lateral tilt facility significantly eases the physical strain on nursing staff, helping them perform routine nursing activities with the minimum of effort. Amongst its features is a unique three-column construction which enables lateral tilt adjustment and provides the bed with exceptional stability and rigidity. Intelligent braking prevents patient falls due to an unlocked bed, by automatically activating the brakes one minute after it is connected to the mains. Dual sided foot controls allow hands-free adjustment of bed height.
The Image is another four-section electrically adjustable bed, with an attractive design and offering a range of unique solutions to assist patient safety and support mobilisation. Its unique twin column technology construction ensures smooth, stable and efficient bed frame movements, with enhancing manoeuvrability, while full length side rails provide perfect protection for the patient against a fall. The side rails are adjustable in five positions, and can slide fully beneath the bed to offer easy access to the patient.
Mangar
International will be much in evidence at various workshops,
as they demonstrate their lightweight, fuss-free solutions to non-emergency
lifting, particularly for the heaviest clients. Their CAMEL is an innovative
inflatable cushion designed to sit up and lift a fallen person from the
floor. It can be placed underneath a supine person and inflated to gently
lift them into a raised seated position, ready to stand. With a weight
capacity of 50 stone, the CAMEL can lift people of any size or age. It
minimises the risks associated with manual handling for both the carer
and client, freeing up staff from a task that may have previously required
the assistance of up to eight people.
Also on display, the new Maxi Lifting Cushion (shown), which will assist the heavier person to stand with ease from their favourite armchair. The Lifting Cushion helps to maintain independent living and mobility and is operated by low air pressure using the Airflo power source. It is suitable for users up to 40 stone. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
Molift
has a new addition to their specialist hoists, the Partner 205, which
is suitable for moving and handling tasks in the community, hospital or
care home environment. You can use it to perform lifts from the floor
without any height adjustment of the column, and it still gives an excellent
lifting height. With its unique quick-release system, you can quickly
and easily change the suspension and adjust it to the individual patient
and moving task.
It comes with a standard 4-point suspension, which prevents the patient from feeling cramped, as the seating position is open and gives plenty of room for the head. Combined with a Molift sling, it enables comfortable and correct positioning from lying to sitting or vice versa, as the sling loops glide into a natural position during the lifting process.
The new Molift Stretcher can be mounted directly on the standard Partner 205 4-point suspension, and a weighing scale and supporting arms are available if required. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
Nordic
Care Services is demonstrating the Romedic 'WendyLett' system
for turning and moving in bed. For anyone with reduced mobility, to be
able to lie on a silky sheet and maybe even to move independently increases
the quality of life and much reduces the risk of costly pressure sores.
'WendyLett' incorporates a slide sheet and draw sheet that can be left in place underneath the user. It combines simplicity with good function and comfort, enabling the user and reducing dependence on care assistance, thus saving labour, the risk of back injury and, of course, financial resources.
The system consists of three parts: The base has a low friction centre part with an anti-slip striped surface on the side, which acts as a brake and reduces the risk of the user falling out of bed. This is to assist people to be able to turn themselves. For people requiring assistance the second part is used - a darker, striped, weight-tested draw sheet which is placed on top of the low friction base sheet, enabling a comfortable turn as the carer can get a good grip. For heavy users, the third part of the system should be used: a draw sheet with a low friction back. This special draw sheet has been given a checked pattern so that each element is differentiated by its appearance. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
Promove
UK is showcasing a pioneering solution to moving and handling
needs: the sling, called Promove, is designed for use in confined spaces
where a hoist cannot be employed. It allows an individual to be moved
without being manhandled and with the least risk to the operator, and
has been independently tested to carry a range of different sized individuals,
from children to large adults weighing up to 45 stone.
Promove is easily placed beneath an incapacitated person whether on the ground, seated in a chair or stuck in a tight corner. It provides good support, forming a bucket shaped seat and giving a sense of security for sliding or lifting. With the use of strategically placed grasping handles to the front and rear, moving and handling immediately becomes controlled as Dr Huw Thomas, creator of Promove explains: "The innovative design of the handles allows the sling to be used by two or more operatives, making moving individuals in tricky situations an easier and safer task".
The sling can be used on its own for lifting or in combination with a glide sheet for sliding. To move a bariatric individual it is recommended that a minimum of four operatives is needed, and as many as eight can be employed if space permits.
Smartlift
are showing their prototype Ergos lifter, which has been developed in
collaboration with Greater Glasgow Health Board to remove manual effort
from patient moving and handling.
The Ergos is claimed to have the capacity to meet the operational performance of all patient hoists currently available in the market, including overhead systems. It has a full working day rechargeable capacity, with a maximum safe working load of 40 stone.
it is simple to use, both for lifting - even from floor level - and for transporting patients within wards. By reducing the time involved in patient moving and handling, it improves efficiency and work environment safety, eliminating the risk of carer back injury.
The Ergos can be used with any make of sling and has a smaller footprint than most traditional styles of hoist.
Theraposture
is demonstrating three of their innovative sleeping products: Rotoflex
(shown) is a distinctive looking bed with a unique rotational system that
can easily and safely transfer users between a sitting position and a
sleeping position, simply by pushing and holding one button on the easy-to-use
hand control. It can eliminate the need for hoist transfers into and out
of bed, and solves the problem of lifting the legs into bed.
The Hannah care cot has a new window system, which solves the problem of active children who require high padding on their cot sides for safety, being left in the dark, without the possibility of eye contact from their carers.
And finally, being shown for the first time, a low access ‘Theracare’ care bed which has been adapted with the addition of a very safe side rail system to make it more suitable for small adults and children, eliminating any risk of entrapment; a significant development in cot sides safety on an adult bed, for users of all ages. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
Westholme
is showing two new products, a standaid and a new ceiling track hoist.
The compact SA160 standaid (right) is easy to use, comfortable and with
standard unique features above any other in its class. The SA160 is the
only standaid designed for use with Chest Sling, Chest and Posterior sling
and Dual purpose sling, and provides a safe dignified lift for a wide
range of people. It also has the benefit of FREECOTE, Westholme's unique
coating process which protects the hoist against damage for longevity
but also provides protection against all major hospital acquired infections
such as MRSA. Westholme manufacture high quality slings (posterior, chest,
dual access) to complement the SA160.
The new Westholme Borealis Ceiling Track Hoist delivers innovation, affordability and quality. It has been designed with a full set of standard features and can be safely operated by a single caregiver. Built for quiet operation, the Borealis provides a smooth effortless transfer which safely enhances the working conditions of caregivers. For additional flexibility, powered traversing options can be included. Click to visit this subscriber's showcase page
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