Understanding The Wheelchair Transfer: Understanding Dependency
A wheelchair transfer is the moving of a handicapped individual from the wheelchair to another place, position or mode of transportation. These transfers can be difficult and stressful for the other people involved. The level of stress from these transfers relates directly to the security and the mobility of the wheelchair bound. A handicapped individual who has full control of his or her upper body, and is strong and stable, will often perform the wheelchair transfer alone. However, those who lack that control and strength need assistance; a level of trust is required on both sides, and this often leads to anxiety for both parties.
Many different methods of wheelchair transfer can be employed. For those who are capable of transferring on their own, it is a matter of getting close to where they are going and lifting themselves out of the wheelchair and onto the area that they are transferring to. This gives the handicapped person a lot of freedom and independence. This method takes a lot of practice and is usually taught by a healthcare professional and practiced under the guidance of that professional to ensure the safety of the disabled individual.
However, there is more than one type of wheelchair transfer. During a single assistant transfer, an assistant lifts the handicapped individual and assists in the movement toward the new location. This can be effective for disabled individuals who do not have total loss of motion in their legs. There are also companies that cater to this type of wheelchair transfer by providing equipment to assist in the single assistant transfer. Some companies offer a kind of vest that the handicapped individual can wear. This vest comes complete with handholds for easy lifting, and also spreads the pressure of the lifting action over the chest and back, instead of focusing it on the area that is being lifted.
A double assistant wheelchair transfer is when two assistants assist in the transfer of a single person. This is usually done if the individuals performing the transfer do not know the handicapped individual as well, or if one of the participants in the transfer is uneasy. This wheelchair transfer is accomplished by positioning the wheelchair parallel to where the person will be moving. The assistants must remove the leg rests and one armrest from the wheelchair, along with any special equipment that must go with the handicapped individual. One person assists the disabled person by crossing his or her arms in front of his or her chest. Once his or her arms are crossed and clasped, the assistant threads his or her arms under the armpits of the individual and grasps his or her arms at chest level. The other assistant grasps the individual’s legs under the knees. Both assistants pick up the person at the same time and move him or her smoothly to where the destination. In the end, with the proper knowledge of how to complete a wheelchair transfer, it can be an easy and rewarding activity for everyone involved.
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