Lifting Cushions Provide Assistance When the Elderly Fall
Lifting Cushions Provide Assistance When the Elderly Fall
Caregivers give elderly people the gift of being able to live as independent a life as possible in the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately, elderly falls can still occur with even the most experienced and attentive caregiver, but inflatable lift products help caregivers and other medical workers safely assist a fallen person back up without straining their own back in the process.
According to the National Council on Aging, every 18 seconds someone 65 years old or older falls. Men are more likely than women to die from a fall, but women are more likely than men to be injured in a fall. The Center for Disease Control states each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls. There are numerous ways to help prevent falls in the elderly, but when falls do occur caregivers want to assist their elderly charge as safely as possible without injuring themselves.
One of the most common ways caregivers and medical workers injure themselves is to lift a fallen patient incorrectly. When your patient or an elderly person starts to fall, it is better to guide them to the ground with as little impact as possible rather than attempting to catch them mid fall. Once the elderly falls, assess if any injuries have occurred. If an injury has occurred decide if it makes sense to tend to the injury first (this is often the case). Caregivers and medical workers are trained to hook their arms under the fallen person's armpits to help them up. The strain and stress on your back when lifting another person is tremendous, and extreme caution should be used in the process.
Inflatable lifting cushions allow you to provide fall help quickly and gently without any strain to your own back. The ELK Emergency Lifting Cushion is an essential item for any caretaker, EMT, or other medical worker. Designed to help safely lift a fallen person, this emergency lifting cushion gently lifts a fallen person from the ground to a sitting position, allowing the person to stand up or be easily transferred. This patient lift can lift up to 1,000 pounds (!) so it can be used with as well.
Shaped like a sleeping bag, the ELK emergency lift cushion is simple to roll out on the ground next to the person who has fallen. Gently roll the fallen person on top of the deflated ELK Emergency Lifting Cushion, and inflate the device. A safety feature ensures there is no danger of over-inflating or bursting the lifting cushion because once the section is fully inflated, the power cuts out so you can focus on comforting the other person without device safety concerns. The emergency lift cushion is comprised of multiple air chambers (allowing you to control the height preference upon inflation), and operates by low air pressure from the Airflo battery powered compressor.
Falls in the elderly are more commonly thought of, but the Mangar Camel Inflatable Lifting Cushionis endorsed by EMTs and stocked in ambulances worldwide to lift any person who has fallen evenly and without risk of injuring your back or neck. The first of its kind to incorporate lightweight inflatable technology into a patient lift, the Camel Inflatable Lifting Cushion by Mangar reduces risk of injury to the fallen patient and to the caregiver. Similar to the ELK Emergency Lifting Cushion in many aspects, the Camel Inflatable Lifting Cushion additionally features a built-in, inflatable seat back to help the stricken person sit upright without any need for manual assistance (perfect for complying with zero-lifting policies). A simple, color coded handset and automatic fill technology AirFlo compressor ensures a risk-free lift every time.
Both the ELK Emergency Lifting Cushion and the Mangar Camel Inflatable Lifting Cushion have a compact size and lightweight design which make them exceptionally easy to store and transport. If you have an elderly family member, consider purchasing an affordable inflatable lifting cushion so that whoever is present when there is an elderly fall can quickly and safely help the elderly person back up. As a caregiver or medical worker these are an essential item for your own safety.
The ELK and Mangar Camel are used after a fall has occurred but there are a variety of fall prevention products which can help prevent elderly falls throughout the home; everything from grab bars to non-slip socks can help prevent falls in the elderly. Caregivers, medical workers, physical therapists, and concerned family members of elderly people will appreciate the wide variety of products available at ActiveForever.com. After looking at the ActiveForever.com site if you're unsure of which fall prevention products would best benefit a particular elderly person you care for, feel free to call one of our experienced, exceptionally trained customer sales agents with your questions. Because falls in the elderly can occur despite vigilant attention and reducing fall threats in the home, be sure to have an inflatable lifting cushion stored in the home of the elderly person you care for. Don't wait until an elderly fall has already happened to buy the ELK Emergency Lifting Cushionand the Mangar Camel Inflatable Lifting Cushion at ActiveForever.com.
Written by: Kate Harvey
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