How to Lift an Elderly Person off the Floor

As humans advance in age, their body becomes weaker and weaker. Tasks that were once easy gradually become quite daunting to carry out and normal day to day activities become affected by this general weakness.

One of the consequences of this weakness is falling down on the floor either suddenly or in the course of performing a task or action like climbing stairs or bending down.

If you are a caregiver in a position where you happen to be caring for an elderly senior either at home or in the hospital as a patient then you probably know how challenging it can be to lift someone who has fallen up from the floor.

Helping someone stand up from the floor without any assistance when you are not professionally trained could even lead to back pain or injury especially if you are elderly or frail too.

Lifting patients from the floor can be carried out manually or with the aid of mechanical or electronic floor recovery devices like hoists or inflatable lifting cushions.

 

Fallen Person Lifting Devices and Equipment (Our Top Choices)

Mangar ELK Emergency Lifting Cushion

The Mangar ELK emergency lifting cushion is an inflatable lifting device designed to help Caregivers lift someone from the floor after a fall. Lightweight and portable, the ELK inflatable emergency lifting cushion can lift up to 1,000 lbs and is particularly good for lift assists in confined spaces such as bathrooms and hallways. It is a great device to lift fallen person. The Airflo Compressor is battery powered meaning it can be used anywhere, inside or out, and does not need to be near a mains point for power, making it perfect for a home environment or on days out. Read More…

 

The Mangar Camel Inflatable Lifting Chair

If you are caring for a loved one who falls regularly, the Mangar Camel lifting chair provides a safe, stable and dignified lift while protecting you from injury. It is used by Caregivers in the USA, Canada, UK and across the world to lift fallen people from the floor into a seated position. It is also great for lifting a fallen person with one handler or none at all. Powered by a portable Airflo compressor, the emergency lifting cushion is positioned underneath the fallen person before being inflated. The Mangar Camel includes a supportive backrest, which when inflated raises the person to an upright position. Read More…

 

Mangar Raiser Lifting Cushion

Designed to help raise a person from a seated position, the Mangar Raiser Lifting Cushion (not Raizer or Raizer II) is the ideal lifting aid for those living at home who may struggle to move from their chair to standing. Considered a great alternative to a riser recliner chair, the Raiser is designed to easily fit the shape of any standard household armchair.

At the touch of a button the two inflatable compartments rise individually, slowly lifting you to a position that will allow them to stand in a dignified manner. The process takes just a couple of minutes, meaning users can be on their feet quickly and safely. Read More…

Invacare Lightweight Hydraulic Patient Lift

This lift is used along with a sling, which is listed as “Full Body Patient Lift Sling With Commode Cutout Option No/Large” offered by What A Deals. (There is no commode cutout).

The patient doesn’t have to participate or hang on to it. The sling has loops which are placed onto the lift. If the patient has fallen, he is turned on his side and rolled onto the sling and then lifted. Read more…

 

Lumex Stand Assist Patient Transport Unit, LF1600

The Lumex Stand Assist is designed for users who have the strength and stability to lift and support themselves.

Users grasp the middle bar and use their own strength to pull themselves up into position. We suggest an electric sit to stand lift for persons with limited strength and stability. Read more…

 

ResQUp Patient Lift and Mobility Aid (Midnight)

The ResQUp is an ergonomically integrated system comprised of three progressive 4½ inch horizontal levels (4½, 9, and 13½ inches from floor level) that fold into one another for easy portability and setup. The ResQUp is made out of durable LDPE, is not heavy (weighing in at 15 lbs) and can support up to 300 lbs. The ResQUp claims to be 100% made in the USA. Read More…

More Tips

Whether you are doing this manually or with the aid of a device to help get off the floor, here are some tips to remember so as to make the whole operation smooth:

Don’t panic or act panicky as this can further agitate the fallen senior. Instead try to stay calm while comforting and reassuring the fallen patient. Ask them to take deep breaths. This is especially important if the fallen person suffers from conditions like dementia or alzheimers.

Next thing is to inspect the patient for any injuries. If they are conscious you could also ask them if they are injured or if they are feeling any pain. It is not uncommon for an injury to occur when an elderly person falls down. It could mild or severe like a broken bone. If such is the case, it is not advisable to attempt lifting up the person on your own without trained help. Instead, where possible, try to call for help or call 911 or an ambulance. If the fall occurs to a patient in the hospital, better to call in a doctor or emergency physician.

If there is no injury to the patient and the person is conscious and still has some strength, then you can proceed to assist them to get up. Only if a person is took weak or has bad knees or some disability should you carry them if you can. Otherwise it is more adviceable to simply assist them but allow them to do the real work. This will help to instill confidence in them that they can help themselves especially if a fall happens when they are alone.

After this reassurance, the next steps you take depend on how much support and assistance you have. You could either lift them up manually or using floor lifting devices like a hoist or a personal cushion lift from the floor.

 

How to Lift an Elderly person or a Patient From the Floor Manually

So what you need to do is to first look for a sturdy object like a strong chair and bring it close. This will be used by the fallen person as a support while getting up. Next, gently help them roll over onto their side and gently guide and support them to get on their hands and knees all the while verbally reassuring and comforting them, showing generous amounts of sympathy.

Once they are on their hands and knees, bring the chair closer and assist the patient to firmly place their two hands on the edge of the chair and to bring their strongest leg bent forward as a support such that they are now kneeling on one knee with the two hands firmly on the chair.

From this position, you can gently guide them but don’t just lift them, try to allow them do as much of the grunt work as they can handle but if their strength (especially in the upper body) is not enough you can lift them and help them to either stand up, sit on the chair or lie down on a bed. Watch the video below:

 

How to Lift Elderly off Floor Using a Patient Lift Device

If you can afford them, patient lifting devices are generally safer for use in lifting people off the floor especially if the caregiver is also weak as in the case of elderly couples who live together on their own. There are different types of these devices some of which are more suited to certain situations than others.

One of the safest of these devices are known as inflatable lift cushions. These are pillow-like cushions that can be deflated and placed beneath the fallen person and then inflated using an air pump. As the cushions fill with air, the patient is lifted gently to the desired height from which they can now sit on a chair, stand up or get on the bed.

Inflatable personal lift cushions are best suited for cases where the fallen person is unconscious, disabled or too weak to attempt standing up by themselves. In such a case, the fallen person is gently rolled onto the deflated cushion and then the air pump is turned on to re-inflate the cushion, at the same time gradually lifting the patient from the floor. Some inflatable cushions like the Mangar Camel have a back rest and can raise a person from the floor to a sitting position.

Inflatable lifter cushions are generally regarded as very safe when used properly. The only drawback with these devices is their price which is a little on the high side but if you can afford it and you have an elderly senior or a patient who you really care about and who is prone to falling then you will find that buying a personal lifting cushion will be one of the most valuable investments you will make.

 

Best Inflatable Lifting Cushions in the Market

The best inflatable lifting cushion to lift elderly off floor is the Mangar Camel and the Mangar Raiser.

To learn more about inflatable lifting cushions, click here to read this article for all you need to know about them including the reviews of the best products to buy.

In case you are also wondering how to lift a heavy person from the floor or how to lift an obese person off the floor, these inflatable cushions can also be used as most of them have a capacity of up to 900lbs (400kg). Any person heavier than this may require a hoist or mini-crane to be lifted.

Medical Disclaimer: The opinions in this article do not constitute medical advice. Please consult a registered physician before taking action based on the information found in this article.

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