How to Choose

Universal style

As the name implies, the universal category is perhaps the most commonly used sling style because of its broad utility and flexibility. The universal style describes a full body that provides good trunk and thigh support and facilitates transfers in a slightly reclined position. Most models can be used in a divided leg or crossover position.

The universal style can be uses for almost any transfer, whether seated, reclined or supine. They can also be used with both overhead and floor lifts. This ability to accommodate the widest variety of user needs makes the universal style the workhorse of sling designs.

To ensure this flexibility of application, all universal style slings in the Silvalea product line have been manufactured specifically to be interchangeable with lifts from a variety of providers. While often used with Savaria® fixed and portable overhead lifts and Span-America® floor lifts, they are designed to be used as replacement slings, providing superior fit and support on lifts from virtually any manufacturer.

High Easy

With Loops

Our loop slings are designed to fit a coat hanger style spreader bar, where straps loop over the hooks of a patient lift. Silvalea’s premium offering in the universal category is its popular high easy loop sling. The high easy loop sling features additional padding on the leg sections and sewn-in padded head support. Its design provides easy application and excellent user comfort.

The re-usable high easy loop sling is available in three fabric options—poly, mesh and superfine plus. This loop sling also feature hip straps for additional, adjustable lateral support.

The high easy style is also available in three other models. The reusable high easy clip sling is made for stud-style spreader bars. In the single patient use category, the high easy style is the basis for the disposable sling with loops, and the disposable sling with clips.

With Clips

Unlike loop style slings, whose straps attach to a lift by looping over hooks, clip style slings are designed for use with stud-style spreader bars. There is a large installed base of lifts requiring clip-style slings—almost exclusively floor lifts as opposed to overhead lifts—found in facilities and homes across North America. Clip style slings always have exactly four straps at pre-set lengths, so adjustment of user angle is made by maneuvering the spreader bar instead of by repositioning loops.

Silvalea offers its popular high easy clip sling as its primary option for stud-style spreader bars. Available in the polyester fabric, it features similar benefits of the reusable high easy loop sling but with four universal safety clips to ensure safe, secure attachment. The safety clips ‘click’ on and off, giving additional peace of mind to caregivers that the clips are fully engaged before beginning the transfer.

This sling gives providers and families a comfortable, premium replacement option for use with the leading standard stud spreader bar lifts. For single-patient use, select the disposable with clips model.

Other styles

Disposable

Disposable slings are an important option for limiting cross-contamination in an institutional setting. They are intended for single-patient use and are often the product of choice in acute care facilities. Disposable slings are typically assigned to individual users for the duration of their stay, or until the sling gets wet or soiled. Disposable slings can also be used in post-acute settings for isolation rooms and when dealing with outbreaks including COVID or C.difficile.

Disposable slings are designed to mimic the function of their reusable counterparts but are constructed from materials that are more appropriate for single-use application. Silvalea offers two primary options in the disposable category, the disposable sling with loops, and the disposable sling with clips.

Both are based on the high easy universal style, including sewn-in, stiffened head support, tailored aperture, and padded legs. They are made from 100% laminated paper and feature a ‘DO NOT USE’ label that becomes visibly only when in contact with liquid as an additional safety measure. A disposable repositioning sling is also available, providing all the function and benefits of the reusable model in a single-patient use option.

Stand Assist

Stand assist slings are designed for use with powered sit to stand-assist floor lifts. Stand assist lifts, often referred to as sit-to-stand or stand aid lifts, allow caregivers a safe, controlled means of transferring users from a sitting to a standing position. They are used for maintaining mobility or rehabilitating users who have suffered injury and need to gradually build standing strength.

Stand assist floor lifts are designed for those needing a moderate level of assistance during transfer, and who have the strength and stability to bear weight on at least one leg. They are commonly used for standing assistance, toileting, weight bearing practice and transfers.

A typical stand assist sling passes under the arms, across the upper back and buckles securely across the chest. A well-designed sling provides comfortable, stable support without riding up under the arms as the user is pulled up into standing position or when lowered back into the seated position.

Silvalea offers two main stand assist designs. The primary model is the roll style, which is well padded, easy to adjust, and buckles securely across the front. The corset style is a slightly more elaborate version. Its elasticized central panel provides additional back support during transfer, while padded underarm rolls and double front buckles add an extra measure of comfort and safety.

Repositioning

Repositioning slings are a popular and extremely versatile solution for repositioning and lateral transfers within a residential or acute care environment. They are used by caregivers in combination with either an overhead or floor lift. A typical repositioning sling consists of a large reinforced fabric sheet with multiple straps affixed to each side. It is designed to be left in place, under the patient while in bed and is located between the fitted sheet and the top sheet.

Repositioning slings allow caregivers to reposition patients regularly as part of an effective pressure management program, helping to reduce and prevent pressure injury. They provide a safe and efficient alternative to manual repositioning or the use of draw sheets, both of which can contribute to caregiver injury.

A repositioning sling can also be used to safely slide back into position a user who has migrated down toward the foot of the bed, following head of bed (HOB) elevation. While not designed for bed-to-chair transfers, a repositioning sling can be used for lateral transfer—most commonly from bed to stretcher.

Silvalea’s repositioning sling is available in two fabric options: quick-drying, open-weave mesh, and smooth, wipe-clean polyester. For facilities requiring a single-use option, Silvalea offers an alternative model, the disposable repositioning sling.

Hygienic

Hygienic slings are generally designed for dressing and toileting, suited for users with good upper body control. As with all dressing slings, due to the aperture this type of sling must be fitted correctly and a full patient risk assessment should be carried out.

Silvalea’s hygienic sling with padded rolls has been designed with maximum comfort in mind. The addition of under arm padded rolls as well as being fully padded throughout, offers greater patient comfort. This dressing/toileting sling also features a waist support with clunk-click buckle for additional support and safety.

Specialty Solutions

In addition to offering outstanding options in all of the most common sling styles—including universal, stand assist, bariatric, repositioning and disposable—Silvalea has long been known as an innovator in the design and manufacture of specialty slings for a wide variety of user and caregiver needs.

In launching the product line for widespread distribution throughout the US and Canada, we have selected three of the most popular and versatile of these specialty designs to include in our North American offering. All three models provide care flexibility beyond what is possible with more traditional designs. Especially notable, they are all available in breathable, ultra-comfortable superfine plus spacer fabric. This specialized fabric provides an extra measure of skin integrity protection for situations in which a sling inadvertently is left in place under a user.

The fastfit deluxe hammock sling includes leg sections shaped to provide additional support to the thighs and hips, making this a particularly appropriate option for users with arthritis, hip issues or both.

The in-situ deluxe leg sling is a divided leg sling, made with low-friction fabric to leg areas and extra femoral support. Its 8-strap design accommodates users requiring additional lateral support and adjustable head support.

The in-situ recline sling is a full body sling designed to enable transfer of a user in the reclined position. Padded rolls provide extra comfort, and its reclined positioning and center pommel strap makes it an excellent amputee sling.

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