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Hiring a Caregiver From an Agency
My family and I are looking into hiring a caregiver from an agency. We quickly found out that they require using a Hoyer lift. I had to use one in school to transfer from my chair to the table, but I’ve never used one at home. I’m wondering if those of you who have hired caregivers are also required to use a Hoyer, or have you found a way to work around it? If you do use one, how do you deal with the showering and toileting? Are there waterproof slings? Do you use one sling specifically for showering and another for regular transfers?
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5 Replies
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I was resistant to using a Hoyer at first, but in the long run it is much better for the health of your caregivers. I have a separate mesh sling for showers that we swap out after the shower. My slings have a commode opening, so toileting isn’t an issue. I leave my sling under me and just tuck it in, but you can remove them. Some styles easier than others.
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Makes sense, thanks!
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Yeah I’m the same as DeAnn. I was reluctant at first to use a lift, but it’s come in handy a lot in recent years. Especially with me being heavier than I used to be, my Mom can’t lift me at all and my Dad struggles some. The lift does take some getting used to, but eventually it becomes second nature.
Also, as far as what model to purchase, I recommend the nomad ceiling lift. It’s much more spacious than a traditional model, and I can send you pictures and videos of mine for reference.
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Kevin, I’d love to see how that lift works. I was going to look into something like that since they discontinued the sling I like and with my old Hoyer it doesn’t clear the bed with the new slings.
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Next time I use it I’ll take some pictures and post them here. You can also check out this social clip I wrote about it a while back: https://smanewstoday.com/2017/11/09/making-transfers-easier-the-molift-nomad-ceiling-hoist/?amp
The big advantage is that there’s nothing in front of me when I use it, so I don’t have to worry about my legs bumping into a hard surface. With a standard lift the lift itself is right in front of me. This can make it really difficult to keep my legs and feet secure, and often it requires an extra person to help.
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