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Bariatric Patient Transport Made Easy

5th Mar 2015

From sitting to standing, bedroom to bathroom, or car to house, there are many different ways that a bariatric individual needs to transfer. Moving around a home or facility does not need to be a difficult task. There are several easy to use bariatric medical equipment and supplies to assist a person with these various transfers.


Let’s start by setting up a scenario. A bariatric patient wakes up in the morning, needs to use the bathroom and requires assistance transferring from bed and moving to the bathroom. Depending on the capabilities of the user, there are many bariatric options to aid in this activity.


Before a person can be transported to the bathroom, they may need their caregiver’s help getting into a bariatric wheelchair. A heavy duty transfer board is a simple solution to bridge the gap between two surfaces and safely slide a person from a bed into a wheelchair. Once the board is positioned, a person sits on a transfer board, and slowly moves across the board in short movements as opposed to one long movement. This technique allows the patient to use minimal upper body strength while having their feet placed firmly on the floor.

Bariatric Transfer Board

People who need minimal help transitioning to a standing position may benefit from a bariatric trapeze. This transfer aid features an adjustable height, overhead grab bar that can be freestanding or attached to the headboard. A bariatric individual will use their upper body strength to pull themselves up to a stand and turn their body. Once up, this person will use the grab bar for support as they slowly lower into a chair, extending their arm as they drop.


Bariatric Patient Lift, Bariatric Lift

For those who are very limited in mobility and needs ample assistance from a caregiver getting in and out of bed, a bariatric lift is the right solution for transferring them. Whether manual or electric, bariatric patient lifts require the most space to use, but the least exertion on the user’s body. With a Hoyer Lift, a sling is placed underneath the individual while they are in bed. Chains connect from the sling to the lift. Then the lift will hoist the person out of bed and lower them down into a wheelchair or onto another surface.


Another type of bariatricpatient lift is a Sit to Stand Lift. This electric lift is suited for those bariatricmen and women that can partially support their own standing weight, but not completely. With a sling supporting their back, a person places their feet squarely on the footrest with knees pressed up against the front knee pad unit for balance. Once the sling is attached to the lift by the caregiver, a press of a button will raise the patient to a near standing position, then transport and lower them down to a sitting position on a chair or even toilet. In some cases, the footboard will be removed for therapy, allowing the patient to walk while still being safely supported by the lift.


Bariatric Transport Chair, Bariatric Wheelchair

Once the person is out of bed, they will be transported to their destination typically by a heavy weight chair on wheels. A bariatric transport wheelchair made from steel or aluminum can support up to 600 lbs. of weight for short rides around a home or facility. A reinforced structure, extra wide seat and heavy duty rear tires equip this wheelchair to support bariatric individuals. In addition, a foam or gel bariatric wheelchair cushion can make the journey more comfortable for the person by redistributing any pressure he or she may experience. The durability and strength provided by these special features offers the convenience and stability to help bariatric patients, their caregivers and families feel secure.


Bariatric Drop Arm Commode, Bariatric Commode

Now that they are in the bathroom, the bariatric patient must transfer to either the toilet or shower. A transfer board can be used to assist with this as well along with the actual commode or bath chair itself. A bariatric commode provides the durable construction needed to assist with toileting. Some bariatric commode chairs have the strength to sustain up to 1000 lbs. A wide, deep seating surface paired with a backrest and easy to release drop arms allows for the safest lateral patient transfers to and from the commode.



As for showering, there are many variations of bariatric shower chairs to aid in bathing. From rolling commode shower chairs to heavy duty transfer benches, bariatric bath seats feature several safety components to prevent slips and falls from slippery bathtub surfaces or wet bathroom floors. The majority of bariatric shower chairs come with arms or handles to offer stability to users as they lower down and raise themselves up from the bath seat. While offering a wide seat, a heavy duty transfer bench also gives versatility and safety due to a reversible bench to accommodate any bathroom.

Bariatric Shower Chair with Wheels

The most useful showering chair on the market today combines the features of a commode, wheelchair and bariatric shower chair all into one. A bariatric commode shower chair with wheels is a multi-functional shower chair that offers convenience to the user and caregiver. The patient only has to make one transfer into the rolling bariatric shower commode chair as opposed to two transfers (from bed to wheelchair, then wheelchair to bath chair).

Bariatric Rollator


After a person is finished showering or toileting, he or she may want to eat dinner or enjoy games with friends. If a bariatric individual is capable of walking on their own with little to no assistance, he or she may find that a bariatric rollator walker or cane will suit their mobile needs. One nice advantage of a bariatric rollator is that it can be used indoors or outdoors, making traveling simple and smooth. Large caster wheels provide support to a strong, steel reinforced seat for when breaks are needed from walking. Heavy duty rollators even feature a storage compartment underneath the seat to transport personal necessities with the user.

Bariatric Cane


Though compact in size, bariatric canes do not skimp on strength. Perfect for use on the go, this cane can support all daily activities. The small size of bariatric canes allows users to freedom to move in tight quarters without worrying about the size constraints of a bariatric rollator or wheelchair.


With a wide range of mobility assistance equipment available, there is a product to suit each individual’s needs no matter what their physical capabilities may be. Explore our full line of bariatric products at MyCareHomeMedical.com  here.