14 November 2017
The following is a brief and basic guide to the types of product that can help people who have limited strength or movement and who might need active help to get in and out of the bath. However, please note that every individual's needs are different. Customers should therefore base their purchasing decisions on the user's particular needs and preferences and, where appropriate, upon advice from medical and care professionals.
A bath hoist is a device that enables a carer to help someone with limited mobility to get into and out of the bath without the need for strenuous manual handling. It may be mechanically operated or electrically powered.
Manually operated systems tend to be cheaper than electrically operated products and they are relatively simple in their construction so there might be less chance of their developing a fault in the longer term. They are reliable and sturdily built and might be a good option if the carer is relatively fit and well. However, whilst they do make the job of lifting and lowering much easier than manual handling, they do require a certain degree of effort to turn winch handles and so forth. If that requirement could present problems for the carer, then an electric model is likely to be a better choice since the in-built motor will make the whole process almost completely effortless.
Most bath hoists are fixed to the floor and tend to be sold as either 'side-fit' or 'end-fit' options. This simply indicates where they are fitted in relation to the bath itself; the choice will obviously depend on the size and layout of the user's bathroom. For example, in smaller rooms, where the bath runs the full length of the room, an end-fit bath hoist could not be used.
Although floor-mounted bath hoists are probably the most commonly chosen systems, wall mounted bath hoists are also available. These are especially useful where floor space is limited, but they can only be used if the wall is structurally sound and capable of taking the necessary loading. Note, too, that ceiling mounted hoists and mobile hoists are also available but please be aware that not all of these are safe for use in bathrooms or in proximity to water.
Some bath hoist systems are only ever used in the bathroom but there are products that have been designed for greater versatility. For example, some are supplied with a mobile base onto which the detachable seat will fit, thereby converting the bath seat into a mobile transfer chair that can be invaluable when moving an individual from one room to another before or after bathing. These same seats sometimes feature cut-out sections in the middle, enabling the system to function as a mobile commode.
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