Quick Summary:

• Inflatable cushions and inflatable bathtub lifts are currently the best and safest way to lift someone off from the floor or to lift and lower them gently into a bathtub. Many health authorities and practitioners now recommend its use where possible.
• The best products right now are the Mangar ELK and the  Mangar Camel. Despite their steep prices, they are very well worth the cost and are very well made, highly durable, can handle very heavy people (bariatric, obese) and easy to operate by one person. They also work well in tight spaces and in corners where many other lifting devices cannot be used.
• If you are looking for a portable lifting cushion to buy, consider buying the Camel or the Elk, depending on your specific needs. The main difference is that the camel has a back rest and can be used as a chair while the Elk has no backrest
• The Camel and Elk cannot be used for bathing in a bathtub. For bathing use the Mangar Bathing Cushion
• And if you need something to help you get out of a chair (i.e sit to stand lift), buy the Mangar Raiser.

 

Some Inflatable Bath Lift Prices (Amazon):

 

Full article: Everything You Need to Know about Inflatable Lifting Cushions and Chairs

If you happen to be in a position where you have to care for an elderly person or invalid who is prone to falling down on the floor, then you will have experienced how challenging and traumatic it can sometimes be to lift a person who has fallen to the floor and is unable to get up without help or aid.

Such falls could be caused either by aging, disability, illness (e.g Multiple Sclerosis / MS, dementia etc) or emergency situations where the patient becomes unsteady or totally physically unable to move. Recovering from such a fall or getting the fallen person up to a sitting or standing position or unto a bed or ambulance without the use of lifting devices and equipment usually requires two or more people to accomplish.

This can be a very big problem if there is only one person available to assist the patient especially if it happens at home. Usually in such cases, one may have no choice but to call in an ambulance or some extra help which can lead to more inconvenience and delays. It can be particularly traumatic if the person who has fallen is a close relative like a parent, grand parent, aged uncle or aunt.

To compound things further, if the person who has fallen on the floor and needs to be lifted is quite heavy or obese (or in the worst case even morbidly obese) then the challenge becomes quite significant even where there are more than two helpers. Such cases definitely require the use of bariatric equipment like mechanical or hydraulic lifts which will still require many hands to operate successfully.

For many Caregivers, the repetitive nature of lifting fallen people up from the floor can severely impact their health, causing back pain and muscle injury. So the question now is how do you safely lift someone up from the floor if they fall and cannot help themselves back up or if they are sick or unconscious and there is only one person to help?

The answer: Inflatable Lifting Cushions and Chairs

 

What are Inflatable Lifting Cushions and What Can they Be Used For?

Inflatable lifting cushions are soft pillow shaped bag-like cushions which can be inflated with air to make them expand and grow larger. These cushions are usually stacked in rows of 2 to 6 and are connected to an electric, mechanical or hydraulic pump that pumps air into the cushions at the touch of a button.

This equipment is generally agreed to be one of the best and safest fall recovery devices for lifting a fallen person and helping them get up from the floor. It can also serve as a bath cushion for elderly or weak people which can lift and lower them gently in the bathtub.

In recent years the inflatable lifting device has become one of the most useful mobility aids for humans (and even animals); a portable patient lift which has been recommended for use in elderly and patient care at home, in hospitals and for emergency services in the US, the UK and around the world.

 

Why are Inflatable Lifting Cushions So Much Loved These Days?

Emergency inflatable cushions have proven to be a lifesaver for many families and emergency workers in various uncomfortable or even dangerous situations where patients and loved ones are under pain or duress from their fall. For a caregiver, helper, emergency worker or someone with a weak or aging senior under their care, inflatable lifts can be a God-sent device.

Part of the reasons why so many people are now investing in these devices is because these lifting cushions have a very simple and sturdy design, are very easy to set up and very safe to use. They are light weight, very portable and because they are battery operated, can be used in locations where there is no electricity source nearby.

More reasons are that they are made of very durable material often lasting many years without getting damaged and can be used anywhere be it indoors or outdoors and on most types of floors or ground cover. They are especially useful for lifting people from the floor in confined spaces and corners where other fall recovery devices and techniques like hoists, manual patient lifts, belts, slings, indeelift human floor lifts, hoyer, ResqQUp, hydraulic patient body lifts and similar equipment may not work well.

However, these inflatable lifting devices provide answers to the following critical questions of:

• How to lift a heavy person who has fallen
• How to lift an elderly person off the floor
• How to move a patient up in bed by yourself
• How to lift an obese person from the floor
• What is the best floor recovery technique for elderly seniors
• How to move a patient from floor to wheelchair
• And lots more questions asked by caregivers and those in charge of elderly seniors, disabled, emergency or recovery patients.

 

How Inflatable Cushions Work and How to Use them

Watch the video below to see an inflatable cushion in use:

 

Best Inflatable Lifting Cushion Reviews

There are quite a handful of various inflatable lifting emergency cushions and inflatable bathing cushions available for sale both online and offline. You can get them to buy in brick and mortar healthcare stores like nrs healthcare, nhs or in online stores like Amazon UK, US, Canada etc. You can even find used second hand inflatable lifting cushions and their batteries on sale on eBay.

Unfortunately, not all of these floor lifting cushions are built with the best standards of quality in mind so you will find many knockoffs and copycats that pretend to be the real deal but the best products are created by a company called Mangar Medical.

Mangar Medical is a health care company specializing in the manufacture and supply of inflatable bathing and lifting devices, like cushions and emergency lifting chairs which protect carers from injury and promote independence for people with limited mobility.

Though they may not have been the first to come up with the idea of lifting people using inflatable, they have taken it to a whole new level with their highly popular and highly rated products and Mangar booster seats. The most popular products (and possibly the best) are the bathtub, raiser, camel and elk lifting cushions.

The best inflatable lifting cushions are:

• Mangar Elk Inflatable Lifting Cushion
• Mangar Camel Inflatable Lifting Cushion/Chair
• Mangar Bathing Cushion
• Mangar Raiser Cushion

The ratings for these devices (and most other Mangar equipment) are in the range of 90% and above (excellent). Following are brief reviews of these cushions.

 

Mangar Elk Inflatable Emergency Lifting Cushion Review

> Read Amazon Buyer Reviews for this item (Click Here)

The Mangar Elk inflatable cushion is one of the best patient lifting devices for home or hospital use. It is very sturdy and can be used with people of all ages and sizes. The Elk lifter is especially capable of handling very very heavy persons who are obese or morbidly obese and require bariatric equipment. It also works well as a portable patient lifter.

The device is comprised of four cushions connected to a compressor that pumps air into the cushions. This compressor known as “Airflo” is battery powered using a 24 Volt battery that needs to always be charged constantly because it takes a long time to fully charge (24 hours).

There is also a handheld control unit that is used to turn the device on or off. The whole product weights about 8 lbs (?KG) and the package dimension when shipped is 24.4 x 4.5 x 10.2 inches. All accessories are included including the battery, pump

The key difference between the elk and the other popular Manga lifting cushion called the Camel is that the Elk does not have a back rest hence usually requires someone to provide support in a sitting position behind the patient as the cushions are being inflated.

Notwithstanding the absence of a backrest, the Elk can be operated by only one person who can work the control with one hand at the same time staying behind the patient to support them. To use it, the Caregiver needs to gently position the fallen person onto the lifting cushion and begin to inflate it using the hand control.

When the hand control button is turned on, the cushions are inflated one by one. During inflation, the cushions can be a little bit wobbly so you may need to hold the patient to keep them steady. This Manga Elk is among the best patient lifts for home use and one of the safest ways to lift elderly off floor.

 

Mangar Elk Lifting Cushion Video: How it Works

 

Pros: Some Likeable Features of the Mangar Elk Lifting Cushion are:

• Mangar Elk weight limits are very high and can handle weights of up to 980 lbs (450 kg)
• They can be used in very tight corners, confined spaces and areas where space to maneuver is scarce.
• Fast and easy to set up and use
• Made of durable materials that can last you for years
• The Mangar Elk is quite light and portable making it easy to move around from place to place, even up and down stairs.

 

Cons: The Not so Likeable Features

The Battery: The Mangar Airflo 24 Volt battery is very powerful but it can take up to 24 hours to become fully charged. One full charge will allow you to use the machine just a few times after which you may need to charge it again. This means that if you need to use it repeatedly within a span of 24 hours then you may not get full power after a few uses.

Usually the first one or two uses after it is fully charged can successfully inflate all four cushions but if you try to use it again before it is fully recharged, you may not be able to get all four cushions inflated. This is not so much of a problem especially if you don’t need to inflate all four cushions to get to your desired height.

Also the battery problem is not really much of an issue because in most cases you will only need to use the device occasionally. Indeed the instructions even advise that you should always keep the unit’s charger plugged in and charging at all times so that it is always at full charge and ready for use whenever you need it.

The Wobble: This one, though not really a big deal, is still worthy of mention. Some people have remarked that during inflation of the cushions the setup becomes a little bit shaky or wobbly which makes it necessary to hold and provide steadying support for the person being lifted.

 

Final Verdict on the Elk: To Buy or Not to Buy?

BUY: This is by far the best lifting cushion of its kind and among the best patient lifting devices for home and hospital use so BUY the Mangar Elk Lifting Cushion (Best Price) if you want an excellent lifting cushion that doesn’t really need to have a back rest.

 

Mangar Elk Best Prices (US, UK)

The Manga Elk emergency lifting cushion best price can be found on sale at Amazon.com and Amazon UK. Click the relevant link below depending on where you are located to see the current price:

USA: Amazon.com (Check Current Elk Price)

UK: Amazon UK (Check Current Elk Price)

 

 

 

The Mangar Camel inflatable emergency Lifting Cushion Chair

> Read Amazon Buyer Reviews for this Item (Click Here)

The Mangar Camel Inflatable Lifting Chair is great as a personal cushion lift because it can be operated entirely by only the person who needs to get off the ground. The main reason for this ability is because the Camel has a back rest which means that you do not need someone to support you into an upright sitting position as you are lifted from the ground. Also if you have bad knees and wondering how to get up from a fall without kneeling, this could be the perfect solution. It is also a great inflatable lifting cushion for disabled.

While the elk is used mainly where there is someone to operate the device and to support the person being lifted, the camel’s back rest enables it to be used entirely by the person who has fallen and needs to get up from the floor without the need for another person to operate the machine. Hence the Camel emergency lifting cushion is well suited for cases of independent living or when the only help available is too weak or not able to operate the device or support the person being lifted.

However, commonsense dictates that to use the elk lift system as a personal cushion lift without the need for another person, you have to keep it close at all times (if you are prone to falling unexpectedly). Luckily the device is not so heavy and very portable so it is not difficult to move around.

To use it by yourself as a personal lifting cushion, you should also have a little amount of strength to crawl over to where the device may be located and to set it up. If you are someone who is very feeble and is more or less like dead weight when you fall, then you will need somebody to assist in setting up the equipment.

 

Pros and Key Features of the Mangar Camel

• Most of the pros of the Camel lifting cushion are similar to those of the Elk lifting cushion with one notable difference being that the Camel has a back rest while the Elk does not.
• Perfect for lifting very heavy people with weight limits up to 700lb (320 KG or 50 stone). This is a true bariatric equipment which can also work for any weight below the limit.
• The emergency lifting cushion takes just a couple of minutes to set up and inflate, meaning you can quickly raise a fallen person and avoid leaving someone on the floor for long periods of time while waiting for help
• Camel lifting cushions are sturdy and very durable and last for years.
• Can be used in small spaces and tight corners
• Despite being durable, it is lightweight, portable and easy to carry and use
• The product dimensions are 44 x 28 x 21.5 inches and the shipping weight is 14lbs

Cons:

Battery Issue: The Mangar Camel uses the Airflo 24V which is the same used by the Elk. The Camel airflow 24V air compressor is quite powerful but takes up to 24 hours to charge to full capacity. And a full charge can only work a handful of times before you need to recharge it again so if the patient falls several times in a day you may need to get an extra unit just in case. However the vast majority of users and reviewers do not find this to be an issue as long as you keep the battery always plugged into an electric supply and charging at all times as advised by the manufacturer. Doing this will ensure that the batteries are always charged and ready to go whenever you need to use the device.

 

Final Verdict on the Camel: To Buy or Not to Buy?

BUY: This is by far the best lifting cushion chair of its kind so BUY the Mangar Camel Lifting Cushion (Best Price) if you want an excellent lifting cushion that also has a back rest.

 

Mangar Camel Best Prices (US, UK)

The Manga Camel lifting cushion best price can be found on Amazon.com. Click the link below  to see the current price:

See Current Camel Price (Click Here)

 

 

Mangar Bathing Cushion Reviews

> Read Amazon Buyer Reviews for this Item (Click Here)

If you know of any senior who loves taking (often longish) baths immersed in a bathtub but who can no longer do this due to age or injury, the best gift you can give to such a person is an inflatable bathing cushion like this one made by Mangar

Although more commonly used by the elderly, this inflatable bath cushion can also work well for people of any age who may be too weak or unable to lower themselves into the bathtub.

The Mangar Bathing Cushion comes with four suction cups on the bottom with which it can be secured to the bottom of the bath to prevent slippage. These suction cups can be fixed and removed in seconds.

To use the bathing lift cushion, start by securing the cushion to the bottom of the bath with the suction cups. Next, fill the bathtub with water and add your bubble bath and other soaps. After filling the tub, use the hand control to inflate the bathing cushion.

The cushion will rise to the level of the top of the bathtub, making it easy to sit on it and move your legs into the tub. When in the tub, deflate the cushion, to take you to the bottom of the bathtub. If you prefer, you could leave a little air in the head cushion for additional comfort.

Pros and Key Features of the Mangar Bathing Cushion

• Product Dimensions: 17.5 x 23 x 15.8 inches ; 14.9 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 pounds,
• Mangarhealth SKU: MPCA060400
• Airflo 12V battery powered
• Built specifically for use in the bathtub (the elk and camel mentioned previously cannot be used for bathing)
• Works very well if you have a small bath where a mechanical bathtub lift chair may not be feasible.
• Has suction cups to secure the cushions to the bottom of the bath thereby preventing it from slipping or sliding.
• A great gift for people who really love to soak themselves in a bath instead of using a walk in bath tub or shower
• Can be used in small spaces and tight corners as a corner bath lift
• Non slip material on the seat
• Takes up minimal height in the tub during bathing and if you like you can go really low even almost to the bottom.
• Portable and easy to set up and use
• Does not require any fixtures or modifications to an existing bathroom
• Its safety feature will not allow it to lower you into the bath unless there is sufficient battery power to raise you back out again
• This inflatable bathtub lift can serve either as an inflatable bath for disabled or as an inflatable bath cushion elderly

Cons:

Because the cushions fill up from behind first before the bottom pockets, you may find yourself slipping out while inflating. May slide you out of the seat while inflating but this is very rare.

 

Final Verdict on the Mangar Bathing Cushion Bathtub Lift: To Buy or Not to Buy?

BUY: This is the most popular and bestselling bathtub lifting cushion chair in its class so BUY the Mangar Bathing Cushion (Best Price) if you want an excellent lifting cushion that can be used to raise and lower you in the bathtub.

 

Mangar Bathing Cushion Prices (US, UK)

The Manga bathing cushion best price can be found on Amazon.com and Amazon UK. Click the relevant link below depending on where you are located to see the current price:

USA: Amazon.com (Click to See Current Price)

UK: Amazon UK (Click to See Current Price)

 

 

Mangar Raiser Lifting Cushion Reviews

> Read Amazon Buyer Reviews for this Item (Click Here)

This lifting cushion is built specifically for the purpose of raising a person from a seating position to a standing one. It is made up of two inflatable cushions which slowly rise one by one gently lifting you into a convenient position that will allow the user to stand with dignity.

At the touch of a button the two inflatable compartments rise individually, slowly lifting the user to a position that will allow them to stand in a dignified manner. The setup and inflation process is very easy and takes only a few minutes.

The Mangar Riser cushion and stand assist device is a lightweight and portable sit to stand lift and can be operated by only one person, making it a valuable aid for single-handed care and independent living. It can be placed above or below a normal cushion or throw pillow and is powered by an Airflo 12V compressor.

As a stand assist device, the Mangar raiser lifting cushion can handle a Maximum weight limit of ?lb(190KG). When deflated, the thickness of the Raiser cushion is less than 1/2 inch and when it is fully inflated, it has a height of about 9 inches and width/length of 16.9 inches

Although the Raiser is primarily designed to help people get in and out of a chair, it can also been used for:

• Lifting people up off their bed from a seated position
• Helping people move from a wheelchair to a standing position
• As a sit to stand lift for Helping people get in and out of their car

 

Mangar Raiser Inflatable Cushion Prices (US, UK)

The Manga bathing cushion best price can be found on Amazon.com and Amazon UK. Click the relevant link below depending on where you are located to see the current price:

USA: Amazon.com (See Current Riser Price)

UK: Amazon UK (See Current Riser Price)

 

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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