Hoyer Lift & Transfer Assistance

The most common way a family caregiver gets hurt is lifting. A spouse in their seventies pulling a partner up from the bed, an adult daughter catching a parent who is sliding out of a chair, a fall in the bathroom because nobody was there to steady the transfer. REACH Home Care provides trained transfer and Hoyer lift assistance in the Tri-Cities so the person being moved and the person moving them both stay safe.

We are a locally owned, Washington State-licensed in-home services agency (DOH license IHS.FS.61064639) based in Kennewick, and every caregiver we send completes the state's 75-hour Home Care Aide training at our own REACH Training Center, where safe transfers, gait belt technique, body mechanics, and mechanical lift use are practiced in our skills lab before caregivers ever work with a client.

What transfer assistance includes

• Standby and hands-on transfers: bed to chair, chair to toilet or commode, in and out of the shower, and in and out of the car, using a gait belt when the client can bear some weight.

• Transfer boards and pivot transfers: for clients who can sit but cannot stand, including wheelchair transfers.

• Hoyer and other mechanical lifts: safe sling placement and lift operation for clients who cannot bear weight, following the equipment's instructions and your therapist's guidance.

• Repositioning and turning: regular position changes in bed and chair to protect skin and prevent pressure injuries for clients who cannot move themselves.

• Walking and ambulation support: steadying, cueing, and guarding while a client walks with or without a walker or cane, and help with prescribed exercises.

• Fall prevention: identifying the rugs, cords, lighting, and furniture arrangements that cause falls, and keeping paths clear on every visit.

• Teaching family members: showing spouses and adult children how to help safely between caregiver visits.

Who needs transfer help

Clients recovering from hip or knee surgery or a hospital stay, people living with Parkinson's, PSP, MS, ALS, stroke, or advanced dementia, clients on hospice who are bed-bound, and anyone whose family caregiver has a bad back. Transfer help is often the reason a family can keep a loved one at home rather than move them to a facility.

Equipment

We work with the equipment you have or that has been prescribed: Hoyer lifts, sit-to-stand lifts, hospital beds, transfer boards, gait belts, and wheelchairs. During the free assessment, our care coordinator will tell you honestly whether a transfer can be done safely by one caregiver or whether a lift or a second person is needed, and can point you to local suppliers if equipment is missing.

Transfer assistance across the Tri-Cities

Our office is at 4304 W 24th Ave, Suite 150 in Kennewick. We provide transfer and lift assistance in Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, West Richland, Benton City, Finley, and Burbank, plus other Benton and Franklin County communities within about 25 miles.

How to get started

1. Call us at (509) 491-1733. Tell us what a typical day looks like and where help is needed.

2. Free in-home assessment. A care coordinator visits the home, watches how transfers happen today and checks the equipment, and writes a care plan with you.

3. Caregiver match. We choose a trained caregiver whose skills and personality fit, and introduce them in person.

4. Ongoing adjustments. Hours and tasks change as needs change. There is no long-term contract.

Care can often begin within a day or two. We accept private pay and long-term care insurance, and we bill many insurers directly.

Frequently asked questions

Are your caregivers trained on Hoyer lifts?

Yes. Mechanical lift use and sling placement are part of the hands-on training at the REACH Training Center, and care coordinators confirm each caregiver is comfortable with the specific lift in your home.

Can one caregiver do a Hoyer transfer alone?

Often yes, when the lift and sling are appropriate and the client can cooperate. Some situations need two people, and we will tell you that during the assessment rather than take a risk.

Do you provide overnight help with transfers?

Yes. Nighttime bathroom transfers are one of the most common needs we cover with awake overnight care.

Can you help after a hospital or rehab discharge?

Yes. We can be in the home the day of discharge and follow the therapist's transfer instructions.

Do you accept long-term care insurance?

Yes. Needing help with transfers is one of the ADLs that most policies cover, and we bill many insurers directly.

What areas do you serve?

Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, West Richland, Benton City, Finley, Burbank, and surrounding communities within roughly 25 miles of the Tri-Cities.

Tired of lifting alone? Call (509) 491-1733 or request a free in-home assessment. REACH Home Care Incorporated is licensed by the Washington State Department of Health (In-Home Services Agency License IHS.FS.61064639, UBI 604-584-302).