ELK Lifting Cushion

My 83 yo mother has had several falls in the house. I have MS and am not strong enough to lift her off the floor. Therefore, we have to call EMS each time and feel guilty about using them for something so simple as lifting her into a chair. Of course, they are always most professional and kind to help us when this happens but I kept thinking there had to be a better way. The ELK has saved the day! My mother had a fall two days ago and we tested it out on her for the first time. It worked exactly as specified and she was up off the floor in no time. As others have mentioned, it's topsy-turvy while inflating so you have to hold on to your person to keep them safe...or have them hold on to a chair for support. It's worse on Level 1 and 2..the bottom cushions. Once you get to the top two cushions, it becomes much more stable. Like others have said, keep the unit plugged in all the time. The battery goes flat pretty quickly if not plugged in. The unit is very mobile and easy to set up. Instruction booklet is excellent too.

I purchased the ELK in March after my 90 year old aunt had already fallen twice and my only recourse was to call 911 and ask to send someone to lift her up. Don’t know why but we both felt embarrassed when 2 EMTs and 4 Fire Fighters came just to pick her up. That’s when I started searching for lifts and came across the ELK. I am a 62 year old woman and someone who thinks it’s important to read the instructions. I read the instructions, fully charged the unit, ran out the battery and fully charged it again as recommended. I tested on myself first to be sure I knew how to use it properly when the time came to lift my aunt. It definitely paid off to practice. Needed to use it today for the first time. She slid off her chair onto the floor. I ran to get the ELK and set it up in five minutes. It took a little doing to coax her to slide herself onto the cushion, but once she did I got behind her and held her for support, then started inflating the cushions. Worked beautifully. She was able to stand right up with my support. She kept thanking me over and over. As for the battery, it definitely kept its charge as I had it sitting in the closet. I have on occasion checked the battery level and charged it once more since I knew it was just sitting unused. I am charging it again now that I have used it.

I recently used this lifting device and the battery ran out while it was lifting. I was trusting the battery meter to tell me whether it was holding a charge. All 4 lights lit up every time I pressed the button, so I thought it was fully charged. Then, I had to use it, It filled the bottom cushion fully, the second one to almost, then the battery ran out. It managed to eeek out enough lift to be useful, but I had to do the rest of the lifting. The battery display should give me an idea if the battery is low. Also, the charger should be powerful enough to either fast-charge the unit, or power the system while running, so that, in a pinch, the user can plug it in and get full performance. Overall this product is great, it works well, and I tested it on myself before having to use it. It is worth the money, but it is probably best to leave it plugged in, so you are not fooled by the battery level meter that isn't accurate.

This product is really super. It’s easy to use and doesn’t depend on the agility of the person being lifted. There’s no doubt that this product has saved multiple back injuries in our family - and turns a very stressful situation into one that can be easily handled without too much effort.

We have used this twice since it arrived. We charged it fully, discharged fully and then put it back on to charge again...but needed to use it before it was fully recharged. My dad has severe back pain when moving, so, getting him to move from side to side while we maneuvered it under him was not easy. We didn't get him fully seated on the cushion, but, since we had three helpers, we gave it a try. Worked like a charm! We recharged it after and then needed it again a couple days later. So, yes, the price is very high, but, the quality is top notch. You should watch the videos online because the directions for loading the fallen person do not come with the unit. Now selling the used one if you are in Northern IL! JackieSoap@gmail.com

This product would seem to be the perfect answer for my husband who has difficulty arising from a fall. After the first charge, we tried it out and it was perfect for his problem. However, the compressor doesn't seem to hold a charge. The instructions advise to leave the compressor plugged in, but that's not feasible if he needs to have it in his car. The manufacturer did not respond when I tried to contact them. The seller who shipped the item said they had no information about the product and gave me the same phone number for which the manufacturer doesn't return messages.

This seems like a very helpful product for many people. However, we learned that once positioned on the deflated cushion, the patient must be able to achieve a sitting position on the floor. Alas, this was not the case for us due to multiple ailments. Two assistants might have been able to make it work, but if we had two assistants, we wouldn't need the cushion.

I have been reluctant to post a review because I don't think people will believe the extremely positive things I have to say about the ELK. I was leary about buying it because of the price. Fortunately, I didn't let price make the final decision. My 97 year old father has been falling a lot over the past year and a half. The ELK has been a blessing. It is easy to use and extremely stable. We have really tight spaces and have been able to use it in the bathroom, hallway, bedroom and living room. Obviously, if my father were seriously injured, we would call the rescue squad, but for most falls, the ELK is great. I'm happy to answer any questions.