In our previous article, Person-Centred Care in Shared Spaces: Planning for Every Resident, we explored the importance of looking beyond routine to consider what matters to each resident. The same principle applies to moving and handling. Residents have different levels of mobility, strength, confidence and understanding. Some may be able to stand and participate in a transfer with the right support, while others need more comprehensive assistance. Their needs may also change over time. The aim should be to choose an approach that reflects the person, rather than expecting everyone to fit the same process. Appropriate equipment can help residents participate where possible, while enabling carers to support transfers safely and comfortably. This is particularly important during bathing and showering. These are personal activities in which people can feel vulnerable, and where privacy, reassurance and a sense of control matter. The layout of the room, the equipment available and the way a transfer is carried out can all influence the experience.

Moving and handling is an everyday part of care, but repeated physical effort can take its toll. The challenge is not limited to lifting someone from a bed to a chair. Repositioning a resident, assisting them in and out of a bath, or repeatedly working in a stooped position can also place considerable demands on the body. Training in good moving-and-handling techniques is essential, but technique alone cannot remove every risk. Selecting suitable equipment, assessing individual transfer needs and creating workspaces that support safe handling are also incredibly important. For care providers, this means considering not only what residents need today, but also how the environment and equipment can support staff throughout their working day.

Hoists can play an important role in reducing the physical effort involved in moving and handling residents. Ceiling hoists, for example, can transfer a resident between a bed, wheelchair, bath or changing area, depending on the track layout and equipment provided. Because the hoist runs along an overhead track, it does not occupy the same floor space as a mobile hoist and can reduce the pushing, pulling and physical exertion associated with some transfers. Mobile floor hoists offer another option, providing flexibility where transfers are needed in different locations. The most appropriate solution depends on the resident’s needs, the tasks being carried out, the available space and the care home’s moving-and-handling procedures. Height-adjustable bathing and changing equipment can also help carers work at a more comfortable level, reducing the need to bend or maintain awkward postures. These are not simply convenience features. They are practical considerations in creating a safer working environment and reducing avoidable physical strain. Equipment must, of course, be appropriately selected, installed, maintained and used by trained staff as part of an individualised moving-and-handling plan. Astor Bannerman’s care home range includes ceiling track hoists, mobile floor hoists, assisted baths and changing equipment designed to support different care requirements.

The International Day of Care and Support recognises the essential contribution of paid and unpaid carers and the importance of investing in effective, inclusive care systems. For care homes, that recognition can translate into everyday decisions: listening to staff about the physical challenges they face, reviewing moving-and-handling practices, investing in appropriate equipment and designing environments around the needs of both residents and care teams. Person-centred care and staff wellbeing should not be competing priorities. Both are fundamental to a sustainable care environment. This International Day of Care and Support, we recognise the people who make good care possible – and the importance of giving them the right tools, training and environment to do their jobs safely and well.

Astor Bannerman works with care providers to explore bathing, hoisting and changing solutions suited to their residents, staff and facilities. Our team can offer advice, design support, equipment demonstrations and training to help you make informed decisions.