Stories from Kera hoist Users
Maintaining freedom for as long as possible
For Pam, the Kera Sit2Sit has restored comfort, dignity, and possibilities that once felt out of reach. And for “Katie,” the nickname stuck.
- Non weight bearing
- At Home
- Reduce load on caregiver
- Reduce strain on patient
- Custom Chestpad and Thighstrap
- Kera Home hoist
Without this, he’d be in residential care – a real home transfer story
Iain lives with multiple sclerosis MS. His wife Ava is his full-time caregiver. Like many couples navigating progressive illness, they reached a point where love and determination alone were no longer enough.
“We can’t live our lives without it now,” says Ava. “Without the Kera, Ian would have to be in residential care. I simply wouldn’t be able to do the transfers on my own.”
“Finding good caregivers who will stay even part-time is really difficult. Even when you do get help, they’re only there for a short window. You still have to manage the rest of the day on your own.”
The turning point came when they realised the Kera could be operated safely by one person.
“That’s the biggest thing,” says Ava. “It doesn’t need two people. We don’t need sling hoists. It’s so easy to use.”
With the Kera, Ava can comfortably transfer Iain on her own. Whether it be into his chair, onto the bed, into the shower, or into their car, the Kera helps Iain wherever he needs to go.
For the couple, the impact has been profound. “Without the Kera, we just couldn’t cope,” says Ava. “It’s been a complete lifesaver for us, and should be absolutely everywhere.”
Most importantly, the Kera has allowed them to stay together at home and on the road, preserving dignity, independence, and a life that still feels like their own.
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Non weight-bearing
- At home
- Single caregiver
- Keep family together
- Kera Home hoist
Maintaining freedom for as long as possible
Margaret’s husband Jim has had Parkinson’s for nearly 20 years. In the last year, he’s diminished to being not mobile.
“I’m here all day lifting him on my own,” says Margaret. “It’s hard on my back and it’s hard on Jim. It’s caused so much damage to my body, but now it has a chance to heal.”
Late one night, Margaret was searching for solutions.
“I was up through the night on the on my iPad, looking for transfer machines and equipment. Jim wasn't ready for a hoist. We didn't want to turn Jim into an invalid when he wasn't one. We wanted him to have his freedom for as long as possible.”
In Margaret’s late night searching she came across the Kera.
“We're now in the possession of a Kera Travel hoist and our life is going to change. It means we can get in the car, we can go out, out for coffees, out to see friends, go away for a few nights, which we haven't been able to do for a long time. If we have to evacuate, I can get them out quickly. So it is a game changer for us.”
- Parkinsons
- Non weight bearing
- At Home
- Reduce load on caregiver
- Thighstrap
- Kera Home hoist
- Kera Travel hoist
- Hoist replacement
Keeping my wife at home, without external caregivers
John and his wife Barbara were worried that when Barbara’s muscular dystrophy worsened that she would need to go into a care home and they would be split up.
“I used to stay awake at night wondering how am I going to cope - and what’s in store for me.”
That all changed when they discovered Kera sit2sit hoists.
“It’s a marvelous innovation for me and Barbara. It’s saved us from all those anxious moments. Now she can stay in the home.”
The couple manage at home without any outside help.
As Barbara says, “Caregivers come in and do half an hour but you’ve still got to carry on for the other 23 hours.”
“We’re coping and it’s because of your Kera,” says John. “It’s really taken a weight off my shoulders.”
Now, with the new Kera Lightening, John and Barbara are planning a trip to Auckland to visit their son and check in on the progress of his new home build. “The Kera Travel hoist is going to make it much easier to travel,” says John.
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Non weight-bearing
- At home
- Single caregiver
- Keep family together
- Kera Home hoist
- Kera travel hoist
Noeline and Gary
Taking the stress out of transfers for independence at home
After a spinal embolism left Noeline a paraplegic, the hospital offered her and her husband Gary a sling hoist. Gary didn't want to rely on other caregivers visiting to operate the hoist as this limited their independence and he searched for a better option. Kera Home hoist allows him to perform all Noeline’s transfers quickly and easily by himself anytime they please.
Noeline has a stoma bag and SPC, so the Chestpad was modified to relieve the pressure on the area and improved the comfort of transfers.
As Noeline is shorter, she selected the Short Chestpad and used Foam Risers to bring to footplate level up to support her feet.
“We do multiple transfers in the course of the day and I can't imagine using anything else really. It's a … one person item, it doesn't need extra people to transfer someone safely from say the bed to a commode”
- SCI / Paraplegia
- Non weight bearing
- At Home
- Stoma Bag + SPC
- Thighstrap
- Short Chestpad
- Kera Home hoist
- Hoist replacement
Lawrence & Maria
Keeping my husband at home
“The Kera has had a profound effect on our family.
The Kera has enabled my 75 year old Mother to look after my Dad at home. Keeping Dad at home was their wish, after 57 years of marriage they didn't want to be separated and as a family we wanted to do whatever we could to enable them to stay together.
Having the Kera has meant that Mum can independently move Dad from his hospital bed to his wheelchair, recliner, essentially anywhere he can sit, it's been a great asset as Mum doesn't need to wait on someone to be there or be reliant on anyone.
It has allowed the family to balance our lives as well as we were all rushing over there to help move Dad around and we just couldn't be there all time it just wasn't possible.
When Dad was discharged from hospital they told us that he would be a 3 assist, which meant that at least 3 people were needed to move him but with the Kera Home hoist only one person is needed."
Rita (Maria and Lawrence’s Daughter)
- Dementia
- Non weight-bearing
- At home
- Single caregiver
- Keep family together
- Kera Home hoist
Kathy and Paul
Managing transfers at home without moving to a sling hoist
Kathy was hesitant to move to using a hoist as her MND (ALS) progressed. She found the Kera online and recognised its ability to delay her from progressing to a full hoist. This would allow Paul to continue to care for her at home by himself, while taking the strain of manual lifting away.
The Kera has allowed them to manage transfers at home without having to use a sling hoist.
As Kathy’s condition has progressed, they have been working with HT Systems to add accessories and modifications to keep the Kera working for them, to keep living together at home for as long as possible.
- MND/ALS
- At home
- On holiday
- Non weight bearing
- Breathing, CPAP
- Thighstrap
- Bed transfer
- Short Chestpad
- Kera Home hoist
Andrew & Cherry
Quick and easy transfers at home and on holiday
Prior to having the Kera Home hoist, Cherry was manually lifting Andrew for every transfer. Andrew wanted to take the strain of manual lifts away from Cherry to keep her safe:
“…I wanted something that could help her lift me without hurting her back, something she could do by herself, without having other people help, so the [Kera Home] hoist was good for that. Very happy with it.“ says Andrew
Download Andrew & Cherry’s user case here.
- Single caregiver
- 30 second transfer
- Lounge to bed transfer
- Kera Home hoist
- Muscular Dystrophy
- At home
- On holiday
- Non weight-bearing
Steve & Fiona
Independence from external caregivers and makes it possible to continue to go on holiday together.
The Kera allows quick and simple transfers to any seat in the house, as well as Steve’s customised electric trike, which allows him to get out for a ride around the neighborhood with Fiona or by himself.
“…I’ve got no use of my legs and very, very limited use of my arms. With the Kera you don’t even need use of your arms or legs, and it has been really good because the time involved in using the Kera just to move is fantastic compared to the other option “ says Steve
Download Steve & Fiona’s user case here.
- MND/ALS
- At home
- On holiday
- Bed transfer
- Raised armchair
- e-trike transfer
- Non weight bearing
- Breathing, CPAP
- Thighstrap
- Kera Home hoist
Jean & Erik
Safe, single caregiver transfers in the home
Jean has MS and has no standing strength and Erik, her husband, cares for her fulltime. When we met them, Erik was physically lifting Jean between bed and chair, multiple times a day.
Current equipment options didn’t work for them; Jean was unsafe on a standing hoist and a sling hoist too slow and didn’t fit their house.
“We were at a loss before you came along. I can manage here at home by myself… and Jean doesn’t have to go into a rest home.“ says Erik (Jean’s husband and caregiver)
Download Jean & Erik’s user case here.
- Multiple Sclerosis
- At home
- Non weight-bearing
- Single caregiver
- Hoist replacement
- Bed to chair transfer
- Kera Home hoist
Deborah
Single caregiver transfers saving time on toileting.
Deborah previously used a sling hoist for toileting but the multi-step job was very time consuming and demanding on her caregivers.
A sling hoist also requires two caregivers meaning Deborah’s parents always had to be available
Changing to the Kera Home hoist means that Deborah can be easily transferred by only one caregiver and toileting is an easy, single step process.
“...now she no longer stands it’s the ideal progression...its a one person job.“ says Cornelia (Deborah’s caregiver)
Download Deborah’s user case here.
- MLD
- Non weight bearing
- Single caregiver
- At home
- One step toileting
- Tilt-in-space chair
- Kera Home hoist
Check out our YouTube Channel for more User Case videos
