My Stand and Pivot Transfer Tricks

It's usually called a lift, but if you do it just right, you are not lifting the patient. I'll give some of my secrets that on-the-job training did not give me. It mostly has to do with physics.

The typical person has a skeleton. You will be using the skeleton of the other person to bear their own weight. You don't bear the weight. Technically, you transferred the weight of the patient on to their legs. All you have to do is boost and provide a shoulder (or whole body) to lean on.

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The free videos I've seen are the proper way to transfer, in a hospital. Some of this does not or can not happen at home. Like I had one of those gait belts. A therapist left one on me and I came home. I don't know what happened to it. Homes don't come equipped with them and it might have been discarded. I never saw them in care homes.

They do save the clothes. When I say pull me back to my caregiver, I stand and the caregiver uses my pants. It does the job, but pants can rip. Belts don't and save the clothes.

**The transfer person's foot placement- IMPORTANT always have your foot in front. If not, you could both end up on the floor. If you are really strong, you may be able to transfer, but hurt yourself. I have a feeling this is what's happening to a lot of the family men and strong women.

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It's important to place the person's feet flat on the floor. You want them flat and properly spaced apart for standing. This is your foundation. What happens if you build on an unstable foundation? It falls. You will, too, if the feet aren't placed right.

Sit the person up. This is the first transfer of weight.

The person's legs should be able to bear weight. With the person sitting and their feet firmly placed in front, you are ready. If the person falls forward, the person is standing! That's all you do to get to standing. Help the person fall onto their legs.

This is where knowledge of the skeleton comes in handy. People have a leg joint called the knee. If you can, use your knee to push it back. This will lock the leg.

I wouldn't stand and dance, but you have enough time to turn and place the person in a wheelchair. Try the same action when going back to bed.

If bones are removed...