Joerns Hoyer Advance portable patient lift review

A folding electric full body lift rated to 340 pounds, and the assessment that has to come before it.

Specifications

Specifications above come from the manufacturer's published feature list for this listing. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

• It folds without tools and weighs under 70 pounds, which means it can travel and it can be put away rather than dominating a bedroom.
• Floor-level pickup, which is what you need on the day someone is on the floor and cannot get up.
• Tapered swan-neck legs slide closer under beds and chairs, which reduces how far a caregiver has to reach and stretch during the transfer.
• Built to EN ISO 10535, the international standard for hoists for transferring disabled persons, which is a meaningful thing to be able to check.
• Battery power with a foot-pedal base, so opening the legs around a wheelchair does not need a third hand.

Where it falls short

• Slings are sold separately and are not generic. A sling must be the correct type and size for the person and must be approved for the specific lift. Mismatched slings and lifts have caused people to fall from height. This is the single most important sentence on this page.
• 340 pounds is a ceiling. If your parent is near it, this is the wrong lift and something rated higher, such as the Invacare Reliant 450, is the correct choice.
• Portability costs stability compared with a heavier fixed-base lift, and a folding frame has more places to check for wear.
• It needs floor space to manoeuvre around a bed and a chair. Small bedrooms defeat lifts routinely, which is one of the things a home assessment catches.
• Buying retail generally ends any Medicare route. Medicare Part B can cover a patient lift as durable medical equipment when a doctor certifies medical necessity and it comes from a supplier who accepts assignment, and that has to happen before the purchase.

What owners report

Owner reports on portable electric lifts are unusually consistent, and they divide by whether the family was trained. Families who had an occupational therapist show them the transfer describe the lift as the thing that let them keep a parent at home. Families who bought one and worked it out from the manual describe near-misses, sling confusion and eventually a lift sitting unused in a corner. The equipment is not the variable; the training is.

The steady practical complaints are room space and battery discipline. Owners repeatedly note that the lift needs more clear floor than they expected, and that a flat battery at the wrong moment is genuinely disruptive, so charging becomes a nightly habit. Owners also consistently report that transfers with a full body sling are easier and safer with two people even when the lift is rated for one caregiver, which matches what our patient lift versus stand assist guide says. Transfers are the highest-injury activity in home caregiving, for the person being moved and the person moving them.

Who it suits

• Families who have been assessed and trained, moving someone under 340 pounds who cannot bear weight.
• Households that need the lift to fold away or travel between homes.
• Anyone who needs floor-level pickup after a fall, once a clinician has confirmed the person can be lifted rather than needing an ambulance.

Who should skip it

• Anyone who has not had an occupational therapy assessment. Ask your parent's doctor for the referral; it is more useful than any product recommendation on this page.
• A person near or over 340 pounds.
• Someone who can bear partial weight and follow instructions, who may do better with a sit-to-stand lift such as the Invacare Get-U-Up.
• Rooms without the clear floor space to manoeuvre a lift around a bed.

Alternatives worth considering

Common questions

Does Medicare cover a Hoyer lift?

Medicare Part B may cover a patient lift as durable medical equipment when a doctor certifies it is medically necessary and it is supplied by a provider who accepts assignment. Manual and powered models are treated differently and the rules change, so start with your parent's doctor, because the certification comes from them. A lift already bought at retail is generally outside that process. Our benefits checker is a starting point for the wider picture.

Which sling do I need for the Hoyer Advance?

The one an occupational therapist specifies, in the size they measure for, approved for this lift. Slings differ by type, by size and by the support they give, and using the wrong size or a sling not approved for the lift has caused falls. Do not buy a sling on price, and inspect it before every use for fraying, damaged stitching and worn loops.

Can one person use it safely?

Sometimes, and that is what the assessment determines. Many full body sling transfers are safer with two people regardless of what the lift is rated for. If a transfer regularly feels marginal with one person, it needs two. Our patient lift versus stand assist guide covers the difference in what each asks of the person and the caregiver.

Patient lift or sit-to-stand: which does my parent need?

It depends on whether they can take any weight through their legs, grip handles and follow instructions. If yes, a sit-to-stand is quicker and keeps them more involved. If no, or if it ever feels marginal, a full body lift is correct. Weight-bearing fluctuates with illness and fatigue, so this is reassessed rather than decided once.

Can we lift someone off the floor with it?

This lift reaches floor level, but whether your parent should be lifted after a fall is a clinical question first. If there is any suspicion of a head injury, a fracture, or if they cannot tell you what happened, call for medical help rather than moving them. Our guide on what to do when an elderly parent falls covers the sequence.

Keep reading

• Patient lift vs stand assist
• Safe transfers for elderly parents
• What an occupational therapy assessment covers
• Benefits eligibility checker
• Invacare Reliant 450 review
• Invacare Get-U-Up sit-to-stand review

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.