A patient lift moves a person who cannot get up safely on their own, between the bed, a chair, a wheelchair and the toilet. The lift takes the weight, so the caregiver does not strain a back and the person is not pulled or dropped. Most lifts used at home roll on a low base and hold the person in a fabric sling.
Choosing one comes down to five questions. How much can the person help? How much do they weigh? Where will the lift be used? How is it powered? And which sling goes with it? This guide takes them in that order. Every lift on our patient lifts page lists its own figures, and the product page is the one to trust for any particular lift.
Start with how much the person can help
The first question decides the kind of lift. It is about the person, and it is worth asking the doctor or therapist who knows them.
| Type | How it works | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Full body lift | The person lies or sits in a sling that supports the whole body, and the lift raises them clear of the bed or chair. | A person who cannot stand or bear weight, or who cannot hold on. |
| Stand-up lift | The person holds a handle with their feet on a footplate and their knees against a pad, and the lift brings them from sitting to standing. | A person who can hold on, has head and trunk control, and can take some of their own weight on their legs. |
A stand-up lift keeps the person using their legs and is quicker for short moves, such as from a chair to a commode. A full body lift is the safe choice when the person cannot help at all. Full body lifts are in our electric lifts and manual lifts, and sit to stand lifts are in our stand-up lifts.
Check the weight rating
Every lift has a weight capacity, and so does every sling. The safe limit is the lower of the two, so a lift rated higher than its sling is only as strong as the sling.
- Standard lifts. Home lifts are commonly rated around 400 to 450 lbs.
- Heavy duty lifts. Our heavy duty lifts are rated 500 lbs. or more, and some go well beyond that. They are usually larger and heavier, with a wider spreader bar.
- Leave a margin. Pick a lift and a sling rated above the person's weight, not right at it.
Measure the room and the path
A lift has to fit where it will be used, and it has to roll from one place to the next with a person in it.
- Under the bed. The base rolls under the bed to reach the person. Lifts commonly need about 4" to 5" of clear space under the bed frame. Check that space on the bed you have.
- Around the chair. The base legs open wider to straddle a wheelchair or a commode. Measure the chair and compare it with the open base width on the product page.
- Through the house. Measure doorways against the closed base width, and allow room to turn. A lift rolls more easily on hard floors than on thick carpet.
- Lifting range. The product page gives the lowest and highest point of the sling hook-up. The low end matters for reaching a person in a low chair, and the high end matters for a tall bed.
Electric or manual
An electric lift raises and lowers the person with a hand control and runs on a rechargeable battery. Most carry emergency lowering in case the battery runs flat, and many come with a second battery so one can charge while the other is in use. Each product page gives the charge time and how many lifts a charge gives.
A manual lift is raised with a hydraulic hand pump. There is nothing to charge, and the caregiver does a little more work at the handle. It suits occasional use and homes where charging is a worry.
Read the manual before the first lift
Practise with a caregiver who has used a lift before, and follow the lift's own manual for how to attach the sling and when to lock the casters. Check the sling straps and the attachment points before every lift.
Other kinds of lift
- Floor lifts. A floor lift raises a person up off the floor after a fall, so the caregiver does not lift them.
- Portable lifts. A portable lift has a compact base for tight rooms, and some fold to move between homes or go in a car. Check the folded size and the weight of the lift itself.
- Bath lifts. A bath lift sits in the tub and lowers the person into the water and back up by remote. It needs no plumbing work.
Choosing the sling
Many lifts ship without a sling, so the sling is usually a separate choice. The product page says what is included.
- Match it to the lift. Slings attach with loops or clips that suit a particular lift. Each sling page names the lifts it fits.
- Match it to the job. A full body sling supports the whole body and the head. A divided leg sling is easier to put on and take off while the person is seated. A sling with a commode opening or a toileting sling allows toileting without taking the sling off. A standing sling goes with a stand-up lift.
- Solid or mesh. A solid sling suits everyday transfers. A mesh sling drains and dries quickly, which suits bathing.
- Match the size. Use the size chart on the sling page. A sling that is too big can let a person slip, and one that is too small presses and pinches.
Our slings list the weight rating, the size chart and the lifts each one fits.
Batteries and parts
An electric lift depends on its battery and its actuator, the motor that raises the boom. Replacement batteries, actuators and other parts are in our patient lift parts. Each part page names the lifts it fits.
Medicare and patient lifts
Medicare Part B can cover a patient lift as durable medical equipment when a doctor orders it and the person would be confined to bed without it and needs help moving between the bed and a chair, wheelchair or commode. The lift usually comes through a supplier that bills Medicare.
Hieline sells direct and does not bill Medicare or any other insurance, so the price you see is the price you pay.
Buying from Hieline
Shipping follows our shipping policy. Financing is available through CareCredit.
Patient lifts and slings cannot be returned
We do not accept returns on patient lifts or slings. Check the weight rating, the room the lift needs, the sling size chart and the lifts each sling fits before you order.
How to decide
- Decide whether the person can stand with help. If they can, look at stand-up lifts. If they cannot, look at full body lifts.
- Check the weight rating of the lift and the sling, and leave a margin.
- Measure under the bed, around the chair and through the doorways.
- Choose electric for push button lifting, or manual for a lift with nothing to charge.
- Pick the sling that fits the lift, the job and the person's size.
- Add a spare battery or parts for the lift you have.
Start on our patient lifts page, pick the type that fits, and compare the lifts side by side.
