Thursday, July 26, 2012

Caregiver Aids #16: DayLite Sling



When I was perusing the Surehands site (I believe it's called Handimove) in advance of purchasing our newest lift system, I noticed they had a new kind of sling which they call the DayLite Sling. It's specifically designed for people who spend a lot of time sitting on their sling, which admittedly happens to Skip. Her regular sling that she uses day in and day out cannot be removed once she's seated in her chair. I've always suspected sitting on the mesh sling reduces the effectiveness of the uber-fancy Roho cushion she has. Roho cushions are filled with little air bladders that give more pressure relief than your average wheelchair cushion.
I was intrigued by the DayLite sling and the salesguy who came to check out our new place brought one with him for me to look at. The key differences between this sling and conventional slings are:
  • It uses parachute fabric which is light and smooth. Also wicks away sweat from the skin. Typical slings are made with a none-too-soft mesh or a sueded fabric.
  • The sling has extremely flat seams so there's less possibility that a sore could develop where a seam meets the skin.
  • It's made in a split leg design so it can be easily removed from under the patient if desired.
  • The sling features batting in the legs so there's less likelihood of bunching when placed under the patient's thighs.
Let me just say I was taken aback by the cost of this item -- $450! However, if it delivered on its promise, I figured it would be much better for Skip to use it day in and day out.
Amazingly, it delivers! It is the best sling I've ever used by far. By a mile. I've always hated using split leg slings. Skip has only used them in the past when she was going out and wanted to be sling-free in her chair. Putting the sling back under her before transferring from wheelchair to bed was somewhat of an ordeal and often resulted in less than smooth transfers. In fact, once the transfer went so wrong, I had to call the fire department to come over and help me get Skip from the half-in, half-out position she once got caught in with a split leg transfer gone wrong. With the DayLite Sling, the legs easily slide under Skip for correct placement due to the slippery fabric. The sling legs do not bunch and provide good support under her thighs.
I still can't believe how much it cost but I rationalize the expense by reminding myself how much better this design is for Skip and how long it's expected to last. I expect we'll still be using this particular sling when we see 2022.

12 comments:

lightning36 said...

Anything that improves the quality of life for both of you as this has is certainly worth the money spent. Certain investments are always good.

Cranky said...

light - that's how I felt about the purchase as well. I'm glad the sling has proved to be as good as I'd hoped.

Muffie said...

So glad the new sling works so well. It sounds better than some they use at my mother's nursing home. Sorry about the cost, but if it lasts that long, it's worth it!
Peace,
Muff

joyce said...

Wow, that's a lot for a sling, but if it is durable and is able to hold your weight for a long time then its worth it. Better buy expensive things that you could really use, than cheap ones that get ruined easily.

kmilyun said...

Just dropping by to say hiya. Liked the pics of the new digs and that sling sound well worth it!

Say hiya to Skip.

Unknown said...

Patti always feels like a piece of cargo no matter which sling. Difficult to feel need vs understand function. MS sucks!

Caregivingly Yours, Patrick

Cranky said...

thanks all for your comments.

Patrick - it sure does SUCK!

Anonymous said...

I've read some good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting.

Judy said...

I thought I'd let you know that today's poem has a link to your blog:

http://lapazconvos.blogspot.com/2012/08/when-it-happens-to-someone-you-love.html

lightning36 said...

Cranky -- where ya been? How's life?

Cranky said...

Light - all is well here, just haven't felt like writing for the blog. Wasting too much time playing Words With Friends. Will post soon. Thanks for checking in.

Diane J Standiford said...

You are BACK! Glad to see you guys are still in the game. I sure need aids, hard to find right ones.