The need
Being able to get out of bed independently is very important for maintaining health or recovering from illness or injury. Staying in bed for prolonged periods leads to complications such as incontinence, and rapid loss of muscle needed for strength, balance and general function. Older adults lose 12% of muscle mass for each week spent in bed.
A simple bedside pole would allow many patients to get out of bed independently. Unfortunately in most hospitals, the pressure-fit safety poles that are available for home use cannot be securely installed because false ceilings are present. The video above shows a patient at Toronto Rehab demonstrating how he uses StandEasy to get in and out of bed and describes the independece it’s given him.
Our response
Our team developed StandEasy(TM) Pole System, which we designed specifically for hospitals and long-term care facilities. This safety pole system is secured to a pair of tracks on the wall. It can be easily removed from the wall tracks to swap the installation from one side of the bed to the other, or moved to support patients in other beds.
Current status
In collaboration with our industry partner Hart Vision Medical, we have turned StandEasy into a commercial product that is now in production. StandEasy units have recently been installed at Toronto Rehab – University Centre, both in patient rooms to support safer and more frequent bed transfers, as well as in common areas to allow patients to practice their transfers with a pole before they return home from the hospital. The response so far has been enthusiastic.
Here is a StandEasy pole in a patient room in Toronto Rehab’s stroke rehab unit, where it is helping patients to mobilize more safely, independently, and frequently:
How you can buy one
If you are interested in purchasing StandEasy systems or would like further information, please visit the Hart Vision website.
TRI Home and Community Team