Improving Mobility: How A Slide Board Transfer Assists In Safe Movement

Slide board transfers provide assistance to caregivers by making patient mobility safer, more efficient, and less physically demanding. By using a slide board effectively, you can protect your health, ensure care recipient safety, and streamline daily care routines. Here you’ll learn:

• What is a slide board?
• Benefits of slide board use
• How a slide board assists in safe movement
• What to look for in a slide board

Looking for additional information about activities of daily living, adaptive equipment, and caregiving? Check if you have free access to Trualta.

What Is A Slide Board?

A slide board, also known as a transfer board, is a caregiving tool designed to assist individuals with limited mobility in transferring safely between surfaces. Made from a smooth, durable material, the board bridges the gap between these surfaces, allowing the individual to slide across easily with less friction. Transfer boards are widely used in caregiving, physical therapy, and healthcare settings. They’re particularly helpful for individuals with spinal cord injuries, strokes, amputations, or other conditions that limit the ability to stand or walk.

Benefits Of Slide Board Use

A slide board offers numerous benefits. It:

• Provides a safe and efficient way to transfer between surfaces, such as a wheelchair and a bed.
• Reduces the risk of falls and physical strain for both the care recipient and you. 
• Minimizes the need for heavy lifting by enabling controlled, gliding movements. This makes it easier for you to assist your loved one while protecting your own health. 
• Enhances comfort and dignity for care recipients during transfers.
• Promotes independence by encouraging active participation. 

Slide boards are useful in medical, rehabilitation, and everyday settings, making them an essential tool for mobility support. Here is a more detailed look at the benefits:

Reduces Physical Strain On Caregivers

• Minimizes lifting effort: Instead of physically lifting a patient, you can help guide the care recipient across the slide board, reducing the risk of injuries such as back strain.
• Leverage and stability: The board provides a stable surface, allowing the care recipient to slide instead of being fully carried.
• Time-saving: Transfers with a slide board are quicker than lifting or repositioning, allowing caregivers to focus on other tasks.

Increases Independence

• Encourages active participation: Care recipients can use their upper body strength to push themselves across the board, requiring less effort from caregivers.
• Gradual independence: Over time, care recipients may learn to use the board with minimal supervision, reducing caregiver workload.

Enhances Safety

• Controlled movement: A slide board reduces the risk of falls by providing a secure transition between surfaces.
• Minimizes discomfort: Sliding causes less discomfort than being lifted, especially for loved ones with injuries or limited mobility.
• Versatility: Useful for multiple transfer scenarios, such as wheelchair-to-bed, toilet, or car transfers.

How A Slide Board Assists In Safe Movement

Take the following steps^, to ensure your care recipient moves in a safe and efficient way while making a transfer:

1. Preparation:
   • Check the weight limit of the transfer board to ensure it’s appropriate for your care recipient.
   • Position the surfaces: Align the two surfaces as close and as level as possible. 
   • If using a wheelchair, be sure to lock the brakes to prevent movement and remove the armrest and footrest if possible.

2. Place the slide board:
   • Slip one end under the care recipient’s thigh or buttocks while they’re sitting.
   • Using the hand holes, position the other end on the target surface.
   • Make sure the board surface bridges the gap securely.

3. Set up the transfer:
   • The care recipient should place feet flat on the floor and tilt to the side to lift their buttock up to place the transfer board underneath.
     • Your care recipient can now slide across the board, either independently or with your assistance. The care recipient can use small sliding movements while keeping their hands on the board for support. You can assist by gently guiding or lifting your loved one.

4. Reposition:
   • Once the care recipient has transferred, remove the slide board carefully to prevent injury. 

5. Cleaning and maintenance:
   • Wipe down the board regularly with a cleaning solution to maintain hygiene.
   • Check for wear and tear or cracks. Replace if damaged.

View this instructional video for additional tips and techniques. 

Safety Tips For Caregivers

• Position properly: Ensure the slide board is firmly placed between surfaces to avoid slipping.
  • Here are a couple of positioning tips for common scenarios:
    • Wheelchair to bed: If the bed is adjustable, align the bed slightly lower than the wheelchair for an easier transfer.
    • Wheelchair to toilet: Use a narrow slide board or slide board with a curved edge for better positioning in tight spaces. 
• Use non-slip grips: Some boards have grips or require non-slip mats to stay in place. Using non-slip mats can stabilize the transfer board on slippery surfaces such as a toilet or a shower chair. 
• Use proper technique: Encourage your care recipient to use their upper body to push or pull themselves across if able. Lift or assist from behind to avoid pulling on arms or shoulders.
• Reduce the risk of injury:
  • Mentally organize the steps before you begin.
  • Communicate the steps of the move to your care recipient. Ask your loved one when they’re ready to move.
  • Keep your knees bent and back straight. Use your legs and core to assist during the transfer. Stand in a stable position to avoid losing balance.
  • Try using a gait belt to maintain a firm hold.
  • If your care recipient is heavy or requires significant assistance, consider using a second caregiver or additional equipment, like a gait belt.

By using a slide board correctly, caregivers can protect their own health, ensure care recipient safety, and streamline daily care routines. Now that you know what to do, make sure to read up on common mistakes to avoid during a transfer, too.

What To Look For In A Slide Board

If a slide board will help you with your caregiving tasks, look for the following features as applicable:

Standard slide boards:

• Made of durable wood or hard plastic.
• Simple, low-friction surface for transferring.

Curved or beveled boards:

• Curved shape helps with angled transfers.
• A beveled edge makes it easier to slide onto or off a surface.

Boards with cutouts or hand holes:

• Cutouts or hand holes allow caregivers or care recipients to grip the board for added stability during transfers.

A slide board is an essential caregiving tool designed to assist individuals with limited mobility in the safe transfer between surfaces.  By using a slide board effectively, caregivers can ensure safety, protect their own health, and streamline daily care routines. 

Looking for additional information about activities of daily living, adaptive equipment, and caregiving? Check if you have free access to Trualta.

References:

1. https://www.alimed.com/patient-transfer-boards-a-brief-guide-blog/
2. https://www.saintlukeskc.org/health-library/transferring-using-transfer-board
3. https://patienteducation.nationwidechildrens.org/library/encyclopedia/3,40382
4. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Transfer_Boards
5. https://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/FallsPreventionCommittee/UsingAGaitBelt.pdf