Training Tuesday: How to Use a Sara Stedy (With Video and What to Avoid)
Part of our weekly series for anyone willing to learn — family carers, new starters, or anyone who has ever looked at a piece of manual handling equipment in a loved one's home and wondered, "How exactly is this supposed to make things easier without putting us both at risk?"
Week Zero: The Language of Care (Words We Use and Words We Avoid)
Week one: How to Use a Slide Sheet (and How Not To)
Week two: How to Use a Hoist and Sling (and How Not To)
Week Three: How to Identify Pressure Sores (and What to Avoid)
week Four: Why Washing Your Hands Properly Actually Matters
Week Five: How to Use a Sara Stedy (With Video and What to Avoid)
Before We Start
This blog post is not a substitute for formal manual handling training, nor does it replace a clinical assessment by an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist. If you are caring for someone at home and are unsure if a standing aid is appropriate for their current physical ability, please consult their care team or GP straight away.
Additionally, please refer to the dedicated training video we have provided to you for a comprehensive, step-by-step visual guide. Watching the training video in conjunction with reading these guidelines will give you the practical knowledge and confidence to perform transfers safely, ensuring both your well-being and the comfort of the person you are supporting.
What a Sara Stedy Actually Is
A Sara Stedy is a non-powered, sit-to-stand mobility aid designed to help individuals who have some lower body strength to stand up from a seated position and seamlessly transfer to another seat, bed, or toilet. Unlike a full passive hoist (which does all the lifting for someone who cannot bear their own weight), the Sara Stedy requires the user to actively participate in the transfer by pulling themselves up.
This active participation is crucial. By encouraging the person to use their own muscle power, the device helps maintain their core stability, leg strength, and overall mobility. It bridges the gap between a walking frame and a fully mechanised hoist, transforming a potentially strenuous, high-risk manual lift into a smooth, dignified, and mutually safe pivot transfer.
When and Where It Shines (High-Reward Scenarios)
The Sara Stedy is exceptionally versatile when used in the right context. It is primarily utilized for short, quick transfers where a wheelchair or hoist would be overly cumbersome. Pay special attention to its utility in:
Bed to Chair: Moving someone from the edge of the bed into their daytime armchair with minimal physical strain on the carer.
Toileting: Navigating the tight confines of a bathroom, allowing the person to safely stand while their clothing is adjusted by a carer, before seating them safely on the commode or toilet.
Chair to Wheelchair: Facilitating a smooth transition when preparing to leave the house.
How to Use One — The Basics
Equipment checks and clear communication should be built naturally into the transfer process. Always ensure the floor is clear of trip hazards before beginning.
1. Assess the Person and Get Consent
Always explain what you are doing first. A simple, "Let’s use the Stedy to get you over to your comfortable chair, I’ll bring it right up to you," keeps people informed and respected. More importantly, assess their current capability. Can they bear weight on at least one leg? Can they securely grip the handles? Are they awake and able to follow instructions? If the answer to any of these is no on a given day, do not use the device.
2. Position and Prepare
Open the chassis legs using the foot pedals to navigate safely around the base of the armchair, wheelchair, or toilet. Bring the device close to the person so their feet rest flat and securely on the non-slip footplate, and their shins are resting comfortably against the padded knee support. Once in position, apply the castor brakes.
3. The Stand
Instruct the person to hold onto the crossbar handles. Ask them to lean forward slightly and use their own upper body strength to pull themselves up into a standing position, pushing down through their heels. As they stand up and clear the seat space, pivot the two split seat flaps down directly behind them.
4. The Transfer and Sit
Once the seat flaps are securely locked in place horizontally behind them, ask the person to sit back down onto the flaps. Release the brakes, pull the chassis legs back into a parallel position if needed to move through narrow doorways, and calmly roll the device to the new location. Re-apply the brakes, ask them to stand slightly so you can flip the seat flaps away, and guide them as they slowly lower themselves into the new chair or bed.
What NOT to Do
Don't pull the patient up yourself: This is one of the most dangerous mistakes. The handles are for the user to pull themselves up. If you find yourself physically hauling the person into a standing position, the Sara Stedy is no longer the appropriate piece of equipment for their mobility level, and you risk severe injury to your own back.
Don't use it as a wheelchair: The Sara Stedy is a short-distance transfer aid, not a transport device. Moving someone over long distances, thick carpets, or outdoor thresholds risks tipping the device and causing a fall.
Don't forget the brakes during transitions: The brakes must be firmly applied whenever the person is actively standing up or sitting down to prevent the equipment from sliding away from under them.
Don't ignore the seat flaps: Never attempt to move the Sara Stedy while the person is fully standing. They must be safely seated on the lowered flaps before you release the brakes to begin the transfer.
Condition-Specific Notes
Mobility and cognitive capacity can fluctuate, meaning the appropriateness of a Sara Stedy can change depending on the health conditions of the person you're caring for:
Fluctuating Conditions (e.g., Parkinson's or MS): A person might be perfectly capable of using the Stedy in the morning but completely fatigued by the evening. Never assume yesterday's capability guarantees today's safety; always assess them in the present moment.
Dementia & Cognitive Decline: A person with advanced dementia may struggle to understand the mechanics of the stand or become fearful of the device. Look out for non-verbal cues—agitation, refusing to grip the handles, or attempting to step off the footplate. Calm, step-by-step reassurance is vital. If they cannot comprehend the process, it may become unsafe to use.
Stroke & One-Sided Weakness (Hemiplegia): Ensure the person has enough strength in their unaffected side to bear the necessary weight safely. They must be able to maintain their core balance while sitting on the split seat. Watch carefully to ensure their weaker foot does not slip off the edge of the footplate during the move.
Skin Fragility: Ensure the person's shins are not being subjected to excessive friction or pressure against the knee pads during the stand, especially if they suffer from peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, or easily bruised skin.
If You Want to Learn Properly
If you are a family carer in Whitchurch, Wem, or anywhere across North Shropshire, and you are concerned about moving and handling safely, or want advice on whether a Sara Stedy is right for your loved one, reach out to us. We highly recommend reviewing the training video we provided to you first, but we can also guide you on speaking with your local occupational therapy team for a formal home assessment.
If you're thinking about care as a career and want to learn how to deliver thorough, compassionate, and professional care using specialised equipment, we train every team member in safe manual handling before they ever step into a client's home. Take a look at our Careers page to find out more.
📞 01948 411222
North Shropshire Homecare — The Coach House, 15/17 Green End, Whitchurch, SY13 1AD