Bantam & Evolv Photo Shoots Provide Insight Into Stander Possibilities

In the past couple weeks, we had two different photo shoots.  One was at an alternative care center and another was on location in a home.  At both photo shoots, we experienced “A-ha” moments that made us see how our standing frames can make life easier for the people who use them…

The first photo shoot was at an alternative care center where adults with disabilities gather to work on skills, build friendships, learn, and of course, have fun.  Our model, Tori, is a 23 year old woman with Cerebral Palsy.  Tori is usually lifted into her stander with a two person transfer.  The staff at the center used a patient lift to transfer her to/from other surfaces, but not into her stander.  They said it wasn’t possible and that they don’t use the patient lift with standers.  This particular photo shoot was with the new Swing Away Front for the Evolv. After several minutes of us explaining to the staff, that “Yes, it is possible” to transfer Tori into the Evolv using a patient lift, they agreed to try it.  The front end and kneepads swung away, the Shadow Tray flipped back, and the whole front of the stander opened up.   Tori went from the patient lift to the stander in less than a minute.  What was amazing to me, was seeing and hearing the total mind shift of the staff.  As Tori was transferred into the Evolv, the staff said things like,  “Very cool…I’m very impressed” and “That’s nice…very slick” and “Very user-friendly”.

Our next photo shoot was at the home of Cayden, a little boy with a form of Muscular Dystrophy, (Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II) who uses a Magician everyday at home.  We brought the new EasyStand Bantam with the Supine option.  Two really great things happened when Cayden stood in the Bantam.

We noticed while eating lunch with Cayden and his family, that when he sat at the dinner table in his wheelchair, he sat lower than everyone else, and looked a little bit uncomfortable. We put Cayden into the EasyStand Bantam and removed the Shadow Tray. Mom pushed him up to the dinner table and  lifted him into a slight anterior tilt position.  Now at everyone else’s height, he could see his family, and was in a better position to eat independently!

The other really neat thing that the Bantam did for Cayden, was allowed him to rest in the supine position.  Cayden’s mom is great about getting Cayden into his stander every day, but his diagnosis of  SMA makes him tire easily.  Cayden also has some flexible knee contractures, so he cannot stand totally upright. The Bantam’s sit to stand function allowed Cayden to stand at a nearly upright standing position that he could tolerate.  Then we took Cayden back down to anterior tilt sitting position, and then tilted the stander into a supine position.  This was a great resting position for Cayden, because he could relax his muscles and lay back while being supported.  We could tell how he really felt by the “Aaaaahhh” he let out and the smile on his face!

Have you had a chance to try the new Evolv with Swing Away Front, or the EasyStand Bantam? Could these features be helpful to your child or clients?