Case study: Care centre benefits from electric standing frame tech with reduced manual handling risks

Staff and service users at Dame Hannah’s near Plymouth are benefitting from using five Trio electric standing frames from Baffin Technology Systems, which feature the “revolutionary” Second Spine Technology.

The first unit was delivered at the start of the year with a further four being delivered over the past nine months.

The centre provides learning, care, support, and fun for adults with a range of disabilities alongside innovative transition projects for young adults through therapy and supported activities. This holistic approach offers professional support through a team of therapists, educationalists, expert medical staff and a specialist care team.

The staff had used alternative standing frames in the past but nothing as versatile as the Trio.

Hans Edwards, Specialist Physiotherapist, explained: “One of the main benefits of the Trio is that it allows for knee contractures so you can apply a stretch at the same time as giving the person the opportunity to stand.

“As far as I am aware, no other standing frame can do this.

“This feature also means that the person can continue to stand despite a limited range of movement in the knee joint. I have used lots of different types of standing frames, but with the Baffin Trio it is the first time I have been able to prescribe such a versatile standing frame at such a competitive price.”

The five individuals at the centre who are using the Trios are non-ambulant. Due to contractures behind their knees, they had all had to stop using conventional standing frames until Dame Hannah’s started working with the team at Baffin Technology.

They can now all stand and are enjoying the many benefits associated with this gentle movement, such as helping to keep the bowel healthy, while the cardiovascular system and immunology are also improved by standing as often as possible. This results in a more general feeling of good health with less coughs, colds, and chest infections.

Hans added: “We all really like the Trio here at Dame Hannah’s, it is easy to set up and use and they are being used on a very regular basis here at Dame Hannah‘s.

“It is reassuring to know that the support workers like them too, because it eliminates a manual handling task that can be quite complicated and time consuming. This in turn means that as health professionals we are more confident that our programmes (which include using the Trio) are more likely to be followed, leading to better outcomes for the service user.

“I would not hesitate in recommending the Trio and Baffin Technology Systems to any centre looking for a standing frame solution that can move the user from sitting to standing without having to be transferred.”

The Second Spine Technology system is designed to create and support optimal positioning of the user’s spine and pelvis. In addition, this technology helps to prevent or significantly slow down the development of certain conditions.

Second Spine Technology achieves this by anatomically mapping the user’s spinal curvatures to allow passive correction of the spine in a seated position by supporting the entire length of the back to reduce pressure on the individual vertebrae. By doing this, the Second Spine Technology also helps to prevent further distortions.

The sit-to-stand devices available from Baffin Technology are multifunctional, as the user can sit up, lie down, and stand up at the touch of a button on the remote control without the need to be transferred to another piece of equipment.

Moving a user to a standing position is time consuming and can often cause more stress and result in an incorrect spinal position, but with the Trio this is no longer the case, according to Baffin Technology Systems.

Marzena Komisarczuk, Managing Director and Founder of Baffin Technology Systems, concluded: “Everyone here at Baffin Technology Systems is delighted to hear what a positive experience Hans and his colleagues at Dame Hannah’s have had with our Trio standing frames and what a difference they are making to the staff and servce users on a daily basis.”

For more information on the full range of products available from Baffin Technology Systems or to arrange an assessment, call 01788 892 056, email office@baffin.co.uk, or visit the website.