Patient Lift Route Planning: What I Check Before Recommending Equipment
To help a patient lift a patient in a home in the Baton Rouge area, I start with the route from the bed to the chair, wheelchair, toilet, or bathroom. I need to know where the lift needs to roll, where the caregiver will need to stand, what doorways the lift will need to negotiate, and where the equipment will be kept, before I will begin to compare models.
This is how I assist families in Walker, Livingston, Denham Springs, and Baton Rouge. At 101 Mobility of Baton Rouge, the equipment comes AFTER we understand the transfer route.
The Floor Space and Turning Clearances I Check First
A patient lift could technically have the right lift height yet still be difficult to use due to the lack of room.
I start at the first of the transfers. If the transfer is bed to wheelchair, I analyze the bed, the wheelchair location, the side of the caregiver, and how the lift approaches and leaves the area.
I will follow the route to the bathroom if the transfer route continues to the bathroom.
| Route Check | What I Look At | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Bedside space | Working room beside and around the bed | The lift and caregiver need space to approach and reposition |
| Chair or wheelchair position | Normal transfer location and approach direction | Determines how the lift needs to be positioned |
| Doorways | Clear opening along the route | The lift base and caregiver need to pass through |
| Turns | Corners between rooms | A lift that clears a doorway still needs room to change direction |
| Flooring | Surface changes and transitions | The equipment has to roll through the actual route |
| Caregiver position | Where the caregiver stands and reaches controls | A transfer plan has to account for the person operating the equipment |
| Final destination | Chair, toilet area, bathroom, or another surface | The lift needs usable approach space at both ends |
Say I have a patient lift in Walker, LA. I can’t just check the bedroom to see if it works; I need to see the route from the bedroom to the bathroom.
One narrow doorway or difficult turn can control the whole plan.
Full-Body Floor Lift, Powered Drive or Sit-to-Stand Support: What Changes the Choice?
Each product has unique functions, so I can’t just compare the price. I base it on the floor space available, how each aid will navigate the house, and how the care team and family assist the patient.
Handicare Eva450
The Handicare Eva450 is a mobile floor lift to assist transfers to and from bed, chair, or floor. Per 101 Mobility’s website, it has a capacity of 450 pounds (lb) and an adjustable base. It also has a lifting range and a built-in charging system.
Though that’s all well and good, those specifications don’t help with fitment for a Walker or Denham Springs bedroom, for example. I still need to assess the route.
Handicare Carina 350
The Handicare Carina 350 is a different mobile floor lift. It has a capacity of 350 lb with the option to fold for transport or storage.
While folding for storage can be important when the lift doesn’t have a consistent parking space, it’s not as important as having a transfer route that is not overly constricted.
Handicare EvaDrive
The Handicare EvaDrive adds power assist to the drive to the Eva lift. Per 101 Mobility’s listing, they have the Eva450Drive and Eva600Drive options.
At this point, we need to start considering working conditions on the caregiver. If the lift will need to travel across a long distance through the house, along a challenging path, or make several turns, power assist may be worth considering.
I still need to check the width of the doorways, the distance of the turns, the base dimensions, and positioning to transfer each point.
Handicare MiniLift 200
The Handicare MiniLift 200 is a sit-to-stand lift in contrast to the other full-body floor lifts, the Eva450 and the Carina 350. It has a footplate, a lower leg support, and an adjustable arm as well as a base that becomes electrically wider.
Smaller doesn’t always mean better. A sit-to-stand device should be chosen based on how well the transfer method, the user’s involvement, and the equipment align with the guidance of appropriate care professionals.
This is an essential limitation. I can assess the home, equipment dimensions, transfer routes, and the installation or set-up of equipment. I do not take the place of the therapist, clinician, or other care professionals who determine the appropriate transfer method for the user.
Sling Compatibility and Caregiver Reach Without Making Clinical Claims
A lift and sling must work together as a system.
I analyze the equipment and the physical setup around the transfer. What position can the caregiver have while supporting the user? Can the caregiver reach the controls? Is there enough room to position the lift before the transfer?
I do not select a sling based on conjecture regarding the space available in the room.
The selected equipment must accommodate the specific sling and transfer method that is appropriate for the user. If a therapist, home-health professional, or other caregiver is involved, their input can be very helpful to the family as they determine the transfer method.
Distinguishing this is very important for caregiver transfer equipment in Livingston. My responsibility is to evaluate how the equipment operates in the home and how the physical route constrains the available equipment options.
Storage, Charging, and Doorway Constraints
Although the transfer takes only a short time, the equipment must have a place to go after the transfer is complete.
I ask where the lift normally gets stored and if that location keeps it out of the way without blocking the household’s primary path.
Charging is another aspect of that plan. The Eva450, and both the Carina 350 and the MiniLift 200, include built-in charging in their respective product specifications. EvaDrive systems use powered Drives with their own battery requirements.
This means that the charging location should be selected before the equipment gets shipped.
Doorways also need more consideration than simply asking if the base fits through the opening.
The caregiver may need to move toward or alongside the lift and may even need to begin a turn in the clear space after the opening. The pathway can be reduced by furniture.
I consider the whole movement:
from the storage location to the transfer point, to the doorway, to the turn, to the destination, and back to the storage location.
I would prefer to look for alternative equipment or a Plan B transfer rather than use equipment that creates a poor fit in the intended route.
After the equipment has been shipped:
I show the equipment in the intended operating location. I provide step-by-step instructions to the family and/or the care team on how the equipment functions and fits in the operating route planned.
This includes operation, base adjustment (if applicable), charging, placement, and operation of the features on the selected equipment. I also show them the location where the equipment normally gets stored.
The route may also need to be reevaluated in the future. Furniture may move. Caregiving arrangements may change. The destination of a regular transfer may move from one room to another.
If the equipment starts acting in an unpredictable way, or you have any operational concerns about any of the equipment, our service and support team are available to help with the equipment, explore maintenance concerns, and implement repairs.
If you are considering a patient lift for a home in Walker, Livingston, Denham Springs, or Baton Rouge, the first step is to take advantage of our free in-home consultation. We can analyze the planned transfer route, work space, door openings, flooring, storage, charging and available equipment, prior to making a selection of a patient lift.
FAQ: Home Patient-Lift Planning
What must be evaluated prior to choosing a patient lift for a home?
Evaluate the entire transfer route. Evaluate the starting and ending transfer surfaces, the working space of the caregiver, the door openings, turns in the route, flooring, the storage of the equipment, and charging, as well as how the equipment will be moved to other rooms.
What are the differences between a floor lift and a sit to stand lift?
The designed support pattern of the equipment differentiates the two types of lifts. The Eva450 and Carina-350 are mobile floor lifts whereas the MiniLift 200 is a designed for sit to stand lifts. The best pattern must be supported by the caregiver’s qualified team.
When would it be appropriate to use the Handicare EvaDrive?
I would consider the Handicare EvaDrive when driving power assisted equipment makes sense when considering the designated transfer route and the caregiver arrangement. I still check base dimensions, doorways, turns, transfer points, storage and charging when considering this option.
Does a patient lift fit through a standard doorway?
This will ultimately depend on the design of the lift and the door frame dimensions. While most manufacturers will publish dimension information for their equipment, it is essential to verify the dimensions of the clearance path, as trim, door frame dimensions and position, approach direction, as well as the adjacent furniture and the space required to complete the turn after the doorframe will affect the available clearance.
Where can a patient lift be stored?
The storage location must be orthogonal to the path of ease of use and proximity to the daily transfer routine to avoid creating a new accessibility concern. The storage location must also accommodate the power supply if the lift is electric.
How can I determine what sling is needed?
Purchase of a sling must be coordinated with the desired equipment and the type of transfer to be executed. Room dimension measurements do not aid in sling selection; clinical sling decisions remain the jurisdiction of physician or ATP order.
What happens if the lift clears the room, but not the bathroom?
The transfer does not work, even if the first transfer does. The equipment may not yet be adequate. I will reassess the route, the equipment, the furniture layout, and the possible transfer methods. I will not consider the bedroom access as complete and adequate.
About the Author
Jonas Boutte is the owner of 101 Mobility of South Louisiana and has hands-on training from accessibility-equipment manufacturers including Bruno, Harmar, Stiltz, Staying Home, EZ-ACCESS, National Ramp, and others. He helps Baton Rouge-area families evaluate patient-handling equipment, stairlifts, ramps, platform lifts, home elevators, and other accessibility solutions based on the home and everyday mobility needs.
