At best, power cuts can be inconvenient. However, for those who use powered mobility or care equipment, such as chairs, beds, and hoists, they can disrupt daily routines, limit user independence, and cause safety risks.
While we can’t help you prevent power cuts from occurring, we can advise on the best ways to prepare for one as a mobility equipment user.
The team at Thistle Help has written up this guide to help you plan ahead, should the lights cut out.
Make Yourself Aware of the Risks
A lot of powered chairs, beds, and hoists feature built-in safety features and battery backups. However, they will not last forever. For example, a fully charged powerchair may be able to run for several hours, whereas a hoist battery might only have enough energy for a handful of transfers. Meanwhile, electric beds may not be able to move whatsoever, if the power disconnects.
Should the power fail, it will help if you have already gained an understanding of how each piece of equipment operates to gauge whether it will remain locked in position, whether it can be altered manually, and whether they have an emergency release.
This will make a power cut much less stressful.
Create a Plan
A power cut plan for mobility equipment will help the user, carers, and family members to act both swiftly and safely if the power goes out.
Begin by writing a list of all the essential powered items in the home or care settings. Note which ones have batteries, which require mains power, and what alternatives are available to you. For instance, if a ceiling hoist won’t work, is there a mobile hoist with battery backup available?
Keep essential contact details close at hand, and make sure you know how to contact electricity providers, equipment suppliers, and the local care team.
Prepare Your Environment
Don’t just consider the equipment, but also the environment. Keep a torch of battery lantern in every main room. Power banks are useful for charging phones if you need to make an emergency call.
You could also plan where you will wait in the event of a longer outage. That could mean staying in the living room or remaining in bed. Either way, make sure that the position is comfortable, and that water, medication, and a call alarm are within reach.
Regularly Review Your Plan
Equipment can change, people can move, and new needs can arise as time goes on. Therefore, it’s important to regularly review your power cut plan and look for any ways you can improve it.
If a power outage happens, consider how well your plan worked. If it didn’t, you may need to change several things. Even if it did go well, ask yourself if there was still room for improvement.
Stay Safe!
Ideally, you won’t be met by any power shortages. However, if you are, things will run much more smoothly if a well-thought-out plan has been put in place.
We hope that this piece has been useful. If it was, check out our other guides here.
Do you have any further questions on preparing for power cuts as a mobility equipment user? Please contact us. The Thistle Help team can offer tailored advice to help you out.
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