How to pay for a ceiling lift (In Utah)

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So your non-mobile child is getting heavier and your back is taking a toll.  It may be time for a ceiling lift.  A ceiling lift involves a track with a sling hanging from it.  Once the person is positioned in the sling the person can be moved along the track from room to room.

To find a business that installs these just google "Ceiling lift Utah" and you will get some options.  These are usually installed by elevator companies, stair lift companies and sometimes wheelchair van companies.

There are free-standing lifts (not attached to the ceiling) such as Hoyer or Liko, but they usually cannot get the person into the bathtub (the feet of the lift hit the bathtub) and they take up quite a bit of floor space.  There are some free-standing (floor lifts) that can get a person into a bathtub...so make sure to ask for that kind if you are choosing a free-standing lift.

Floor-lift such as Hoyer or Liko

One bad part of ceiling lifts is that they typically have to split the door frame above the door in order to maneuver the person from room to room.  It works, but it looks a little weird.

Lift cuts through door header

Lift cuts through door header

 Here are some options to pay for a ceiling lift (in Utah)

DSPD 
DSPD will pay for home modifications such as bathroom remodel, ramp or lift into the home, ceiling lift, ramp or lift and tie downs for a vehicle.  Ask your Caseworker.  They can apply for one-time funding.  It does take some time to get approved and there are a few hoops, but it will be paid for 100%.

Independent Living Centers
They pay for anything to help the person live independently or stay at home instead of being in a facility.  Each State is required to have Independent Living Centers (they may be called different names).  In Utah each county has one (some serve more than 1 county).  So go to the link and find your county.
https://uilc.org/en/resources/il-centers

Angels Hands
https://angelshands.org

United Healthcare
You do not need to have United Healthcare for your health insurance, but you do need to have health insurance.  They pay for medical expenses not covered, or not fully covered by commercial insurance.  You can get $5,000 annually per child and $10,000 per lifetime per child
https://www.uhccf.org/

Assistive Technology Foundation (Zions Bank Low Interest Loan)
You turn in the application and they help you get a low interest loan through Zion's Bank.  The loan will be 1/2 of prime and the Foundation pays the rest of the interest on the loan.  For loans over 10,000 you can usually get a 5 year term.  It takes about a week for the loan to go through once all of the paperwork has been submitted.  Once the application is complete it is good for 90 days.  You can use the loan more than once over a lifetime.
1-800-524-5152
http://www.uatpat.org
http://uatf.org/financing


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Things to think about when considering options for a lift...
#1) Which rooms of your home does the person want to get to?  ie:  bed, wheelchair, tub, couch
#2)  Does the lift need to lower all the way to the floor (some don't, some do)
#3) Does the lift need to get the person into the tub (most free-standing lifts cannot do this)
#4)  Will the lift fit through your doorways?  (Most free-standing lifts won't fit)
#5) What is the weight limit on the lift?
#6) Is there an emergency power source in case of power outage?
#7)  Would hydrolic (electric) or manual work best for your situation?
#8)  Am I allowed to make changes to the home (do I rent or own, will I be here long-term?)
#9)  Am I OK if the ceiling lift cuts through the door header?


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This is a portable lift that is an alternative to a ceiling lift and a freestanding lift.  It can only get the person from the bed to the wheelchair and back.

Portable lift you could move to a new house.  

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Since the bathtub is the trickiest area to get a lift to work, here are a couple of other bathing/lift options for you

For all of the bathing situations below the caregiver would not need to bend over to put the person into the tub.

Most of them would not work if your child has no torso/head control.

Bathtub lift you can use with a sling

Chair swings out of tub

Person sits on blue disk, swings into tub and slides into place

Person sits on bench and slides bum over into tub

Bath chair slides over tub.  Bathchair can recline farther than pictured.  Does not lower down into the tub.

Pole goes from ceiling to floor and chair swings into tub

This is to wash a person's hair...called a seahorse

Inflatable bathtub

Inflatable hair-basin

Wall Mounted Shower Stretcher--folds out of the way