CHS - Helping Preserve Dignity and Activity in your Golden Years

After a full life and many years of contributing to the community, it can be disheartening when our bodies begin no longer rise to the challenge of remaining as active and mobile as we have always been.

A few simple items from CHS Healthcare can make all the difference as we age, allowing us to face and conquer the mobility issues that result from long and rich lives.

Initially, as you experience minor mobility issues, installing a series of grab rails can ensure safety in the home and other areas.  These may be particularly important in bathing areas where wet, slippery floors can be a hazard.  For increased safety, it is worth keeping an eye out on our website for our new range of baths from Astor Bannerman.  Many of these have terrific features such as the opening side doors of the Vanna Hi-Lo Bath which make getting in and out of the bath much easier for both patients and carers.

If hoists are required, our most popular hoist with flexible usage options is the Etac Motolift Nomad.  This portable hoist is safe and easy to use, especially when partnered with our patented CHS Flexi-Link connection system. A few easy steps and the Flexi-Link Head automatically locks into place when the wand fitting is removed. The Nomad can move between rooms easily when rail systems cannot flow through the home completely.  It is an ideal product for both private homes and institutions, it can be found on our website by clicking here (insert link).

If you are unsure as to what your need are - whether it be in the home or in a community facility, why not ask our designers? Simply use the CHS App on your smartphone to upload photographs of your existing space and tell us your mobility needs.  You will receive timely, personalised feedback on the products that will make your life easier, as well as the lives of patients and loved ones.

How CHS Healthcare Helps Community Facilities Be More Inclusive

Part of our mission at CHS Healthcare is to assist people requiring mobility aid to have the most opportunities for inclusion.  This is why we are so strongly involved with the Australian Changing Places program, which provides inclusive toilet and change facilities in a range of locations nation-wide.

On our website, you will find a range of galleries that show the work we have done with hospitals and other healthcare and community facilities to ensure that people of all abilities can be fully included and made to feel comfortable on their days out with family and friends.

One of the projects we are most proud of is our contribution to the new Hawthorn Aquatic & Leisure Centre. CHS Healthcare worked in conjunction with ADCO Constructions to create a space that is both stylish and true to Hawthorn as well as serviceable to ALL members of the community.

CHS Healthcare installed a range of slimline rail systems, complete with turntables and fixed Waverley Glen C625 hoists - with a safe working load of 284kg - throughout - and a quick look at the gallery on our website shows how clearly the space has been designed around the needs of the hoist user.  Every area is accessible to the hoist, from getting to the pool and getting right into key areas of the changing rooms. 

In the change rooms themselves, CHS Healthcare sourced Astor Bannerman change tables in conjunction with the fixed hoists to ensure that carers can assist their friend, client or family member to ready themselves for  the next stage of their day in comfort and with dignity and privacy.

It’s terrific to see more and more community facilities working towards a philosophy of equal opportunity.  We are so very proud of our involvement in this landmark project and hope that more facilities consider adopting this kind of model.  Check out the gallery on our website and see just what open minds, innovative design and terrific products can achieve.

Finding the Right Sling for Your Needs

One of the most crucial elements of comfortable patient lifting is ensuring you have the right sling.

Recently, CHS Healthcare published a white paper on choosing the right sling.  We offered our clients excellent advice on safety as well as affordability.

In ensuring that a sling is appropriate for your needs - or for the needs of a person in care, there are three factors to weigh up:

•    The weight of the patient  - slings come in a variety of sizes to support patients - whether they be young children or bariatric patients.  One size sling does not always fit all.

•    The status of the patient - does your patient have head and trunk stability? Muscle tone? Do you you need to work around an amputation?  A range of slings exist to support patients with different levels of mobility.

•    The needs for lifting - what position is the patient in, and what position are you moving them to?Sitting to sitting? Recumbent to recumbent or sitting to recumbent?  This means looking at where you are moving them from, to where you are moving them to.

CHS Healthcare stocks a wide range of slings to meet the diverse needs of people requiring different kinds of mobility aid.  Here are just a few of the options available to you:

Our most basic sling is the general purpose sling, which is available in six sizes.  This is effective in most settings and under many circumstances when patients have some upper body control.  It has additional leg padding for comfort and is easy to fit.

For individuals who need extra comfort, we also stock a customisable Comfort Sling range in sizes small - extra-large. These can be individually fitted and modified for the individual user.  Etac Molift, famous for the portable Nomad hoist, have also designed a sling range built for comfort known as the Optimum Sling Range.

The Waverley Glen Deluxe sling range is known for it’s durability and fit.  The material is hard-wearing nylon and polyester, which dries easily if used in wet areas due to the lack of metal parts.  They also provide a good basic multipurpose sling, an excellent choice for facilities that require flexible use of their slings.

For physiotherapists we stock a range of walking slings to assist with the rehabilitation of patients with some weight-bearing ability. We also have slings appropriate for patients requiring additional head support, with sensitive skin conditions, younger patients, patients with lower limb amputations and slings specifically designed around toileting and bathing. We also stock disposable slings for the greatest control over hygiene and infection.

For more information, take a look at our full range of slings on our website.  In addition, always make sure that all staff or carers are effectively trained to use the sling you have chosen. 

What the Change to CHS Healthcare Means to You

At CHS Healthcare, we are currently celebrating a new name and a new premises.  But what does this mean for our clients?

CHS Healthcare continues to be the longest operating ceiling hoist provider in Australia with the most experienced and professional installation, service and maintenance teams. Now, with a bigger premises, we can further expand our range of products and services.

As well as our exclusive products including the Etac Molift Portable Ceiling Hoist and our patented Flexi-Link Connection system, our larger premises allows us to source more international products to ensure our clients get the broadest range of patient lifting equipment.  It is our dedication to this that makes CHS Healthcare the industry leader.

We can now stock a wider range of products including a range of Astor Bannerman products including the Nivano Changing Table -  which is now a feature of the Australian Changing Places Design, completely sourced by CHS Healthcare.  These changing tables are height adjustable and fold neatly away when not in use - a smart product for the home or any facility that believes in providing accessible toileting facilities for all.

We also stock a new range of baths to make bathing easier and more enjoyable for our clients and their patients.  An example of this is the Avero Classic Nursing Bath - a bath designed for comfort and accessibility.  On top of this, we can also offer the Avero Motion bath, which raises on an angle to make patient lifting in and out of the tub even easier.  Some of our new baths also have opening side doors - so you can choose from a wide range of options to suit your needs or the needs of a client or family member.

Expansion for us means more good news and good products for all of our clients.  Our new products will be available on our website shortly - so make sure you check back regularly.

Why You Need To Know About The Changing Places Initiative

CHS Healthcare is proud to sponsor and support the Changing Places Initiative.  Our mission is to assist people with physical impairments to have quality of life, respect and independence.  Our products help them achieve mobility in the home and in a variety of facilities - this initiative aims to help them outside in the community.

Think about the last time you spent a day out - whether it was a trip with family to the zoo, to the beach or even to the local shopping centre.  Sometimes it’s just nice to be out of the house, spending time with friends and family.  

How many times in that day did you have to visit a public toilet?

While we may all prefer our bathrooms at home, our ability to use convenient public restrooms is something we take for granted.  For many individuals who are unable to toilet themselves, using public bathrooms is a thing to be dreaded.  Some even cut short their trips out so that they can return home just to use the bathroom.  There have also been many cases in which people have refused liquids - even on scorching hot days - just to avoid having to go to the toilet.

At home, a carer can assist them with dignity and in privacy. They have the right equipment with the necessary features such as a hoist and an adult-sized changing table. Consider your last trip into the public toilets - was this crucial equipment available?  

Sadly, many carers end up having to change individuals on the floors of public or disabled restrooms.  Imagine the indignity of this - not to mention the possible hygiene issues.  This also increases the chances of an injury for the carer, as they are more likely to have to complete heavy lifting themselves.  

While the Federal Government’s National Disability Insurance Scheme provides support and funding for families and individuals, it doesn't cover the cost of these much-needed public works in community spaces. So, we are urging facilities to embrace this opportunity to change people’s lives.

The project has already experienced success in the UK, where providers in partnership with CHS Healthcare provided the hoist systems and accessories.  Now, we are doing the same in Australia.  The Changing Places design includes our Waverley Glen C450 Fixed Hoist with a safe working load of 205 kgs, the Slimline Rail room coverage System and the 200kg powered Nivano Change Table.

Help us to raise awareness of this initiative, so that we can all have equal access to the necessary facilities to enjoy those beautiful days out in the sun.  If you know someone whose quality of life would be improved by this initiative, please share this blog post.  

For more information, please see the designs on our website and download the information kit.