Patient Lifts for Home Use
In-home patient lifts allow you to more easily accomplish day-to-day tasks like transferring from bed to a mobility device especially where space is limited, so you can move around your home more freely without worrying about risking injury. From freestanding to mounted lifts, portable units to slings, NSM lifts can help you live independently every day.
Patient Hoyer Lifts
Portable patient lifts – commonly called patient Hoyer lifts or portable total body lifts – are a proven solution for individuals who need assistance transferring between a bed, wheelchair, commode, or chair at home. Hoyer lifts are designed to give you the ability to move from a bed, chair, or wheelchair safely. These lifts are portable and self-contained and can be used where ceiling lifts are not available or practical. Whether you’re a family caregiver or a person managing a disability or recovery, NSM’s team of specialists will help you find the right portable patient lift for your home and lifestyle.
Who Are Portable Patient Lifts For?
Often referred to generally as patient Hoyer lifts, these devices are essential home accessibility tools designed for
- Caregivers: To prevent back injuries and physical exhaustion by doing the heavy lifting for them.
- Seniors Aging in Place: Allowing older adults with limited mobility to stay in their own homes safely.
- Individuals with Disabilities: Those living with conditions like ALS, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, or paralysis.
- Post-Surgical Patients: Individuals needing temporary, heavy-duty assistance during a long recovery.
With local NSM branches across the country, our accessibility professionals are right in your community, ready to evaluate your home and recommend the perfect lift for your specific needs.
Why Choose a Portable Patient Lift for Home Use?
At NSM, we offer a variety of transfer solutions, including custom ceiling lifts and free-standing transfer systems. So, why might a portable patient lift be the best choice for your home?
- Versatility & Room-to-Room Mobility: Unlike a ceiling lift, which is restricted to the track’s path, or a free-standing system, which typically remains stationary over a bed, a portable patient lift is on wheels. You can securely transfer a patient from the bedroom, roll them down the hall, and assist them in the living room or bathroom using a single device.
- No Home Modifications Needed: Ceiling lifts require permanent structural installation and track mounting. A portable patient lift requires no construction, making it the perfect solution for renters or those who need an immediate, no-drill solution.
- Easy Storage and Travel: Many portable patient lifts for home use can be disassembled or folded down. This allows you to store the unit in a closet when not in use or even pack it into a compatible vehicle for travel, something you simply cannot do with fixed transfer systems.
- Cost-Effective: Because there is no structural installation required, portable lifts often present a more budget-friendly upfront option while still providing top-tier safety.
Looking for a permanent, zero-footprint solution? Explore our Ceiling Lifts and Free-Standing Transfer Systems.
Free-standing Transfer Systems
When you or a loved one requires overhead lifting assistance but permanently modifying your home isn’t an option, National Seating & Mobility (NSM) has a solution. Our free-standing patient lift systems offer the stability and power of a ceiling lift, but with a completely self-supporting frame.
These durable free-standing transfer systems take the physical strain off caregivers, providing a smooth and dignified way to transfer users from a bed to a wheelchair, commode, or recliner. With NSM branches located in communities across the country, our local accessibility experts are ready to deliver and assemble the perfect no-drill lift system right in your home.
Who Are Free-Standing Overhead Patient Lifts For?
A free-standing overhead patient lift is a versatile accessibility tool specifically designed for
- Renters: Because these systems are self-supported and don’t bolt into the ceiling, they are perfect for apartments, rental homes, or leased assisted living spaces where permanent alterations aren’t allowed.
- Older or Historic Homes: Homes with drop ceilings, vaulted ceilings, or older joists that cannot safely support the structural requirements of a mounted ceiling track.
- Short-Term Rehab Patients: Individuals recovering from major surgery or severe injuries who only need lifting assistance for a few months and don’t want a permanent track left behind.
- Caregivers: To prevent back and shoulder injuries by allowing a motorized system to handle the heavy lifting during transfers.
Why Choose a Free-Standing Patient Lift System?
At NSM, we offer multiple transfer solutions. Why might a free-standing patient transfer system be the right choice for your home over a portable Hoyer-style lift or a mounted ceiling track?
Compared to a ceiling lift: The most significant advantage is that no construction is required. There is no need to drill into ceiling joists or alter your home’s structure. If you ever move to a new home or need to relocate the lift to a different room, a free-standing system can be disassembled and moved, which is something you can’t easily do with a permanent ceiling track.
Compared to a portable patient lift: Portable wheeled lifts require ample floor space to maneuver, smooth flooring to roll easily, and clearance under the bed for the base legs to slide into. A free-standing overhead patient lift spans the width of the bed, keeping the floor entirely clear and eliminating the need for a caregiver to physically push a heavy lift and patient across the carpet.
Need to move a patient from room-to-room? Explore our Portable Patient Lifts. Need a permanent, custom-track solution? Check out our Ceiling Lifts.
Ceiling & Wall Mount Transfer Systems
Ceiling lifts can be either permanently installed, running along fixed-in rails, or can be used in conjunction with free standing overhead rails, temporarily installed with no changes being made to your home. These portable ceiling lifts can be moved from room to room using different tracks, offering greater flexibility of use.
FAQs about Patient Lifts for Home Use
1. How do I know which patient lift is right for my home and specific needs?
Choosing a lift depends on several factors, including the user’s physical needs, the caregiver’s strength, and your home’s layout (such as doorway widths, floor types, and ceiling heights).
Because safety is so critical, NSM doesn’t expect you to guess. We provide a personalized, in-home evaluation. A local certified NSM Home Access professional will visit your home, assess your layout, and recommend the exact configuration that will maximize safety and independence for both the user and the caregiver.
2. Do I need to structurally modify my home or ceiling to install a patient lift?
Not necessarily. While custom ceiling tracks are incredibly popular for their space-saving benefits, they do require professional anchoring into your home’s structural supports. If you are renting or want to avoid permanent modifications, a free-standing transfer system or a portable Hoyer lift is an excellent alternative. These systems stand independently, require zero structural changes, and can be easily disassembled or moved if your needs change.
3. Who installs the patient lift? Do you use third-party subcontractors?
This is where the NSM difference truly shines. Unlike many competitors who outsource to third-party handymen, NSM uses our own dedicated, local team of certified home access professionals from the initial evaluation all the way through installation and future maintenance. Our “Serving Safely” commitment guarantees your lift is installed to the highest industry safety standards.
4. How long does the process take to get a patient lift, and how do we get started?
We know that mobility and safety cannot wait, which is why we work quickly to keep you moving. NSM is committed to providing you with a customized quote within 48 hours of your home evaluation.
Getting started is simple:
- Connect with us: Fill out our online form below to reach your local NSM Home Access team.
- In-Home Evaluation: We will visit your home to assess your layout and discuss your care routine.
- Custom Recommendation & Quote: You’ll receive a transparent, tailored solution.
- Professional Installation & Training: Our in-house team will install your system and thoroughly train you and your caregivers on how to use it safely.
Why NSM?
At NSM, we are uniquely positioned to search hundreds of sources for the precise components needed to create mobility and accessibility solutions that are made specifically to meet the needs of each client. But what really sets NSM apart is our approach:
Your safety comes first, no matter what.
Nothing is more important to us than your health and safety. Our Serving Safely commitment means you can feel confident we're going above and beyond to put your safety first, no matter what.
We deliver customized solutions to fit your needs.
By bringing together industry-leading expertise, uniquely engineered systems and breakthrough technologies, we deliver personalized solutions catered to your specific needs.
Our calling goes beyond being a preferred provider of mobility solutions.
We seek to build lifelong relationships full of compassion that honor your journey of independence with ingenuity and excellence that helps you move through life.
Let's Get Moving.
No matter your mobility need, we have innovative products and a reliable team of experts to keep you moving so you can enjoy life to the fullest - wherever it takes you. Send us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
