How to Transfer Elderly From a Wheel Chair to a Bed

Caregiving demands the best of us. If you are in charge of providing aid and comfort to someone who is wheelchair-dependent, the task is doubly challenging. In transferring an elderly person from a wheelchair to a bed your goals are to not injure him further and to not suffer a back sprain or spasm or a hernia yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Wheelchair properly fitted to patient
• Transfer board, transfer belt, pivot or transfer disk
• Slippers with nonslip soles
• Assistant (optional)

Instructions

Advance Planning is Key for Caregivers

1. 

   Talk through your course of action with the elderly person and make sure she knows what you will be doing first. Demonstrate if necessary.

2. 

   Lock the wheels on the wheelchair and the bed (optional). Make sure the wheelchair is positioned so it is parallel to the bed, facing the foot end of the bed or at a 45-degree angle to the bed. It also should be near the middle of the bed.

3. 

   Fold the footrest away. Remove the armrest if possible. Make sure the bed rail is down.

4. 

   Have the elderly person place the hand that is closest to the bed on top of the mattress, with her other arm poised on the armrest, ready for a push.

5. Position yourself toe-to-toe and knee-to-knee with the elderly person. Bend slightly and grab him around his upper waist and torso.

6. Instruct her to lift herself with her arms to help support her weight. Simultaneously, bend your legs to produce a lift and a pivotal shift toward the bed. Lifting is best done with your legs and gluteus muscles flexed tightly to take pressure off your back.

7. 

   Once the patient is seated, allow him time to regain his balance. Place one arm over his back to the opposite shoulder and the other arm under his thigh. Bend your legs slightly. Turn and lower his back onto the bed while shifting his thighs onto the bed. Note: Using a waist belt with grab handles, a flexible transfer board or a pivot disk will help with this process tremendously.

Tips & Warnings

• Because bedridden patients are prone to bedsores, moving them into a sitting or standing position can help. A wheelchair that fits properly is a big help in moving the elderly in and out of beds or to the toilet.

• When purchasing an "assistive device" like a lift machine, ask for an in-home evaluation. A stable tub bench can be a big help when transferring the elderly from a wheelchair to a bathtub. Put grab bars in this area as well.

References

• http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=13

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Caregiver products
• Video about using a hoyer lift device
• Information on rehabilitation
• Bladder accessory helps wheelchair and bed confined