Hello all, does anyone have experience/thoughts on a bed rope ladder? I have a bariatric, hospital level care, resident who still has reasonable functional abilities. He does not (yet) need full sling hoist transfers, but he struggles with lying to sitting and getting his left leg over the edge of the bed. I am just pondering some options and was wondering if a bed rope ladder in combination with a limb sling on a mobile/ceiling track hoist might work for him. Any thoughts? Or better ideas? He transfers with a standing hoist and has some minor bed mobility using a monkey bar. Thank you!
Hi Ellen,
I have used bed rope ladders for bariatric patients and definitely recommend them. The more he can do himself the better. They often work better than a monkey bar because the angle of pull is better.
Also I wonder if he can manage his leg himself with a leg lifter (or a belt or towel if you don’t have a leg lifter). If not, the limb sling is worth trying – the problem with that is he is always dependent on someone else, but maybe he is at that stage anyway.
Good luck
Thank you Julie! That is very helpful 🙂 I thought about a leg lifter- it would probably be worth a try! Would you happen to know a supplier for the bed rope ladder? I did a quick Google but the ones I saw are plastic and go up to 127 kg. ‘My’ resident is 153 kg. Thanks again!
I think it was the Morton and Perry one we bought for our radiology dept for patients to pull themselves up from the nuclear med table. It is a good one.
I’m fairly sure when you are assessing SWL you are safe to go by 60% of the patient’s weight as they never carry their whole weight through it.
Monkey bars have the same equation.
Can anyone confirm whether 60% is the correct measure?