Transfer Equipment: Reducing Risk for Patients and Caregivers

Transfer equipment includes a range of different medical equipment designed to safely move people with limited mobility from surface to surface. This can include beds, chairs, wheelchairs, toilets, cars, or other conveyances, so that their comfort and safety are assured. This increases independence for patients and reduces the risk of injury for both patients and caregivers. Honest Medical offers a wide range of transfer aids including the following:

• Transfer Benches: A transfer bench is a bath safety device that is placed across the edge of the bathtub — two feet outside the tub and two inside — that allows the patient to sit safely on the seat and slide over to enter the tub. It is ideal for anyone recovering from hip or knee surgery or for those with limited mobility.
• Boards: A transfer board, or sliding board, is a smooth rectangular board made of wood or plastic that serves as a bridge from one surface to another, reducing the need for a caregiver to lift the patient. Transfer boards enable patients to move from a wheelchair to a bed, car, or toilet using their own upper body strength.
• Transfer and Gait Belts: These two types of belts are slightly different in construction but serve the same purpose — to safely guide and steady the transfer of patients with mobility limitations. They are placed around the patient's waist over the clothes to allow the caregiver to assist patients with walking or transferring between surfaces. Transfer belts are sometimes padded for more comfort, and gait belts often have vertical handles the caregiver uses.
• Patient Transfer Sheets: A transfer sheet — or slide sheet — is a low-friction, sometimes tubular device that caregivers use to safely move or reposition patients who are confined to bed. The patient is placed on the sheet and can be moved to a wheelchair or repositioned on the bed. The sheet is durable and made of a frictionless material such as nylon. There are also single-use transfer sheets if infection control is an issue, especially in institutional settings such as hospitals and nursing homes.
• Patient Lifts and Slings: A patient lift is a device that allows a caregiver to safely move, transfer, or reposition a patient with more severe mobility limitations. There are several types of lift transfer equipment including battery-operated hydraulic patient lifts and manually operated lifts. A sling is used with the lift to safely hold the patient and lift them between beds, chairs, wheelchairs, toilets, and baths or showers.

Learn More

Honest Medical carries the transfer equipment needed to safely transfer and reposition patients with limited mobility whether in an institutional setting or at home. We also publish a blog, Honest Ideas, that includes many informative articles on topics for caregivers, patients, and loved ones. If you have any questions about any transfer equipment or supplies, please contact an HonestMed Care Specialist at (833) 933-2323.