Ceiling track lifts can be either permanently installed or portable patient lifts that are used to transfer people along ceiling mounted tracking. The tracks can be curved or straight, be run from room to room or in a single room and are ideal where floor space is too limited for conventional floor lifts.
The most common locations in a home for ceiling lifts are the bathroom for transfers to and from the toilet and/or bathtub and the bedroom for transfers to and from commodes and beds, although often people will install track for these lifts throughout the house.
Portable ceiling lifts hook on to a lanyard which hangs from the track. The lift unit can be taken off for charging the battery or moving the lift to another location. This feature is particularly beneficial for people who have multiple tracks installed in their house or who regularly stay at another location that has a track. Portable units are popular with hospitals and nursing homes as they may only need a couple of lifts per floor the service many rooms with tracks installed.
A Permanent ceiling lift is permanently attached to the ceiling track and cannot be removed for charging. When the unit is "parked" (usually at one end of the track) in the proper position on the track the built in battery automatic recharges. The big disadvantage of the permanent ceiling lift is that a continuous length track needs to be installed to service each area where the lift may be needed.
The ideal installation of ceiling lift track is in a ceiling with an open attic above that can be reinforced, if necessary. The track is attached to threaded rods which protrude through 1/2" to 3/4" holes drilled into the ceiling dry wall or plaster and secured above to the ceiling joists.
Occasionally, when there is no access to the attic or there is no attic above, the track brackets can be directly lagged into the ceiling joists or into a cement ceiling. This type of installation depends on the joists being in the proper position and strong enough to support the weight loads which will be exerted on them. This type of installation requires an installer who knows what they are doing. I've had to re-install a couple of tracks because the original installer tried to get away with #8 wood screws.
When access above the ceiling isn't possible and installation directly to the ceiling joists isn't possible, wall mounting of the track may be possible. In order to do a wall mount installation some type of bracket must be used to secure the ends of the track to opposing walls. This installation option is dependent on the length of the span. For spans more than 8' most manufacturers offer reinforced tracking for wall mounting installations.
Free standing track installations are another option which is particularly attractive alternative if none of the previous installations are feasible or a temporary setup is required. Free standing units consist of two end posts which support the ends of the track and are set up to straddle the area where the transfer needs to be performed.
An X Y gantry is a track installation system which will allow the user to be lifted at any place within a room and lowered at any other place in the room. The X Y gantry system consists of two parallel tracks mounted on opposite sides of a room with another piece of track suspended from and spanning the parallel tracks. The lift will travel back and forth along the spanning track which moves back and forth along the parallel tracks.
Turntables are optional devices which allow the lifts to travel different directions from a given point on different tracks. This is helpful in hallways where one direction may take you to the bathroom, another to a bedroom and another to another bedroom. The lift carrying the user is moved onto the turntable which is then turned to align with another piece of track headed in another direction.
Notice: Information on this web site is for informational purposes only and not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by physicians, therapists or other medical professionals. All information is general in nature and may not necessarily apply to everyone as individual needs may vary.
Related Sites:
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AccessRamps.ca |
Ceilinglift.ca |
Liftchairs.ca |
Patientlift.ca |
Porchlift.ca |
Scooterlifts.ca |
Stairlift.ca |
VanRamp.ca |
Wheelchair.ca |
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