Raising a bedridden elderly person, or a person who has had surgery and needs to rest, can be easier by following appropriate techniques that help not only to make less force and avoid injuries to the caregiver's back, but also to increase comfort and the welfare of the bedridden person.
Typically, patients in an advanced stage of degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, for example, need to be lifted out of bed regularly to avoid muscle and joint atrophy, as well as skin wounds, known as bedsores.
One of the secrets to not getting hurt is to bend your knees and always push with your legs, avoiding straining your spine. Watch this step-by-step that we describe in detail:
Since caring for a bedridden person can be a difficult and complicated task, see our comprehensive guide on how to care for a bedridden person.
9 steps to lift a bedridden person
The process of lifting a bedridden person easily and with less effort, can be summarized in 9 steps:
1. Place the wheelchair or chair next to the bed and lock the chair wheels, or lean the chair against the wall so that it does not move.
2. With the person still lying down, drag him to the edge of the bed, placing both arms under his body. See how to move the person in bed.
3. Place your arm under your back at shoulder level.
4. With your other hand, hold the armpit and feel the person on the bed. For this step, the caregiver should bend the legs and keep the back straight, stretching the legs while lifting the person to a sitting position.
5. Keep your hand supporting the person's back and pull your knees out of the bed, rotating it so that you are sitting with your legs hanging from the edge of the bed.
6. Drag the person on the bed until the feet are flat on the floor.
7. Hug the person under your arms and, without letting him lie down again, hold him from behind, in the waistband of his pants. However, if possible, ask him to hold your neck, clasping his hands.
8. Lift the person at the same time as he rotates his body, towards the wheelchair or armchair, and let him fall as slowly as possible on the seat.
9. To make the person more comfortable, adjust his position by pulling him against the back of the chair, or the armchair, wrapping his arms around him like a hug.
Ideally, the person should be moved from the bed to the chair, and vice versa, every 2 hours, lying in bed only at bedtime.
Generally, the wheelchair or armchair should be placed near the headboard on the side where the person has the most strength. That is, if the person has had a stroke and has more strength on the right side of the body, the chair should be placed on the right side of the bed and the lift should be done from that side, for example.
Learn how to do other important care for the bedridden person:
