What happens when the right sling doesn’t exist yet?
For conjoined twins Marieme and Ndeye Ndiage, the question was deeply personal. Their father hoped they could stand and move with support one day, but their unique anatomy meant they couldn’t get what they needed from a standard sling and harness. They needed something designed specifically for them.
Their care team brought the challenge to Silvalea, our UK-based division and Centre of Excellence for Slings. Working with the girls, their family, and the professionals who support them, our sling specialists developed and refined a bespoke harness that gave the girls the opportunity to stand upright for the very first time.
Here’s how our team worked through the design and fit decisions that made supported standing possible for Marieme and Ndeye.
Marieme and Ndeye had used a standing frame before, but their father wanted them to have the opportunity to stand and move while supported by a harness.
Debbie Palfrey, a Moving and Handling Trainer at Cardiff City Council, approached Silvalea to ask what might be possible.
Our technical team began with discussions and a video consultation. Team members Julie Robertson and Amanda Jenkins then visited the twins at their school in Cardiff, where they met with the family and professionals involved in their care. Together, they considered the twins’ posture, measurements, and support requirements, along with how a harness would work during standing and movement.
That assessment is what shaped the brief. The harness needed to support the twins’ shared body position, while also allowing them to experience movement upright. It also had to work with the lifting equipment available at the school, so it could become a practical part of their day-to-day life.
Our design team developed two concepts to trial. One adapted elements of existing support designs to provide lateral stability, underarm support, and positioning for standing. The other was a bespoke walking harness shaped around the twins’ measurements and support needs.
Designing the fit of the harnesses was only part of the challenge, though. The team also needed to see how each one would work with a hoist and support Marieme and Ndeye as they stood and moved.
By working through the equipment setup together, Silvalea and the school made it possible to trial the harnesses using a setup best suited to the girls’ needs.
Silvalea manufactured both prototypes, and Julie and Amanda returned to Cardiff for a fitting and trial with the twins’ wider care team, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and seating specialists.
During the session, Marieme and Ndeye stood upright in a harness for the very first time. The trial also showed that the fit needed some work. The prototypes were slightly oversized, so our specialists took further measurements and discussed adjustments with the team on site.
After the revised harnesses were returned to Cardiff, Silvalea observed a follow-up session remotely. The team continued to refine the fit and comfort, including changes to the groin area and additional padding. At the girls’ request, the harnesses were also made in pink.
In a later follow-up, the team saw how familiar Marieme and Ndeye had become with their harnesses. They were moving more freely while supported and enjoying the chance to stand alongside their peers.
Their father described what that opportunity meant to the family:
“This has already made a big change in their lives. The prospect of being able to stand, walk and get in and around with their friends will contribute greatly to their self-worth. I can already feel how proud they are to have this support.”
At Savaria Patient Care, we couldn’t be prouder of what this team achieved together. This case brought together school staff, Cardiff City Council, clinicians, and Silvalea’s technical and design teams. Each had a part in assessing what was needed, testing the concepts, and improving the fit so the girls could have the freedom to move and stand alongside their peers.
Marieme and Ndeye’s harnesses were designed for a rare situation, but the questions Silvalea asked will be familiar to many care teams. What does this person need to do? How should the harness support them? And how will it work with the lift and the people helping them?
As our UK-based division and Centre of Excellence for Slings, Silvalea brought those questions into every stage of the work, listening to the twins, their family, and their care team as the design took shape.
For more about Marieme and Ndeye, you can read the full story on the Silvalea website.
If you’re working through a sling challenge in your own care setting, reach out to the Savaria Patient Care team today. We’d love to help you find an option within our existing sling range or a way forward when standard sling designs don’t fit.
Safe patient handling programs first entered the healthcare landscape in the early 2000s, spurred by a critical need to reduce workplace injuries and improve patient safety. Since then, several states have enacted safe patient handling legislation mandating these programs in their healthcare settings.
In long-term care and post-acute settings, safe patient handling implementation remains variable. Some facilities do not have programs, and the ones that do may have robust training and quality equipment or may struggle with developing a formalized program.
Because these programs have shown significant benefit, as long-term and post-acute care organizations look to adapt to the changing demands of today’s healthcare industry, safe patient handling programs should be a key priority in operational and clinical workflows.
Staffing shortages are front and center in the healthcare industry, with essential personnel in critically short supply. In long-term and post-acute care, workplace injuries related to patient handling have significant impact: back injuries alone cost the industry an estimated $20 billion per year.
Certified nursing assistants, who represent some of the most commonly injured caregivers, leave their positions in nursing homes at a rate of 78% each year. And while retention is a concern, days lost to injury also play a role in staffing issues and the ability to provide efficient care.
Safe patient handling programs can help mitigate these concerns. In Minnesota, implementation of safe patient handling legislation resulted in a 38% reduction in lost-time worker’s compensation claims and 55% of nursing homes reduced patient handling injury claims. Safe patient handling with the right equipment is more efficient as well — requiring fewer personnel and less time.
For long-term care residents and post-acute patients, safe patient handling offers benefits that drive higher patient satisfaction: increased comfort and dignity, reduced risk of injuries during transfers (such as falls and skin tears), improved mobility (reducing risk of pressure injuries), shorter lengths of stay, and better rehabilitation outcomes.
Advanced technology in patient handling equipment is the foundation of a robust safe patient handling program. Equipment design should incorporate the latest medical research, technology, and clinical advancements.
When an organization invests in equipment, choosing equipment with superior function and durability helps safeguard that investment: equipment downtime is a known barrier to successful safe patient handling programs. High-quality equipment equals reliable functionality and fewer costly caregiver injuries.
A high-quality safe patient handling program with research-driven, evidence-based use of equipment should be incorporated into planning for new facilities, and as existing facilities modernize as well. Building a successful program is greatly enhanced by leaning into the expertise of safe patient handling providers who offer comprehensive support and change management. Some key elements facilities should be looking for include:
Integrating equipment like ceiling lifts requires a partner who understands the complexities of working with architects and builders through the design and planning phase and utilizes the latest Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology. A safe patient handling provider should offer a dedicated project manager to ensure customization and the highest quality outcomes.
Driving change management at a caregiver level is easier when workflows make sense and training is developed based on clinical best practices. It’s important for safe patient handling equipment providers to go beyond just offering the tools needed to provide safe care — showing caregivers how to use them is critical. When a safe patient handling provider’s team of clinical experts provides tailored clinical programs for healthcare professionals in a facility, safe patient handling is more successful.
Preventative maintenance and expert troubleshooting supports facilities in ensuring safe patient handling equipment is available when it’s needed. Having trained specialists available means facilities experience less downtime, staff can rely on the program to operate as intended (encouraging consistent use), and investments are protected.
By supporting better patient outcomes, reducing caregiver injury, increasing workplace satisfaction, and driving improved financial performance, safe patient handling programs remain a core part successful performance for long-term and post-acute care facilities.
Choosing the right equipment and partnering with a high-quality safe patient handling provider has significant impact on the success of any safe patient handling initiative. In a rapidly evolving healthcare industry, Savaria Patient Care offers best-in-class expertise, guidance and research-backed equipment to meet these needs across the long-term and post-acute landscape.
Long a pioneer in the mobility space, Savaria Patient Care has continually sought innovative ways to expand its impact on both patients and caregivers. As a part of this evolution, Savaria is pleased to announce a collaboration with EarlyMobility.com, enabling a more comprehensive approach to delivering high-quality mobility programs throughout the United States and Canada.
“Their real-world clinical insight elevates our commitment to safe mobility and better outcomes.”
Amber Slay, BSN, RNAcademy Director, Clinical Development, Savaria Patient Care
“As a Clinical Director and former bedside nurse, I understand firsthand the challenges caregivers face every day,” says Amber Slay, Academy Director, Clinical Development at Savaria. “That’s why I’m so excited about our collaboration with EarlyMobility.com — their team brings real-world clinical insight that elevates our commitment to safe mobility, better outcomes, and proven clinician-driven solutions.”
The Savaria and EarlyMobility.com collaboration will drive improved quality and safety metrics for organizations seeking to elevate care outcomes and meet regulatory requirements with successful mobility programs.
“We are thrilled to come alongside Savaria to bring a bundled solution that gives you the right recipe for sustained success,” says Margaret Arnold-Menjoulet, PT, Chief Executive Officer for EarlyMobility.com. “To achieve a safe early and continuous mobility culture you need reliable, high-quality equipment, expert training, and clinical culture change expertise to help teams apply the concepts and shift habits towards the new culture of care.”
Savaria has a long history of clinical expertise in its culture and product development through its footprint with Handicare, SPAN, and Silvalea, making this collaboration the next logical step in accelerating its role in high-quality mobility programs.
As Savaria and EarlyMobility.com join forces, the two companies will offer scalable solutions and specialized expertise to hospitals, post-acute facilities, and home care organizations throughout the United States and Canada who are seeking to develop and implement effective mobility programs.
“Reliable equipment, expert training, and culture change are the recipe for sustainable early-mobility success.“
Margaret Arnold-Menjoulet, PTChief Executive Officer, EarlyMobility.com
Savaria’s vision is simple: empower people with mobility for life. EarlyMobility.com is a leading clinical consulting group specializing in safe patient handling and interdisciplinary mobility program design. While Savaria’s sales account managers are highly trained as mobility specialists, EarlyMobility.com is supporting further specialized education for these experts, allowing them to understand, from a caregiver’s perspective, the challenges patients and staff face throughout the mobility process.
Additionally, EarlyMobility.com’s expertise includes experience in:
“Savaria’s high quality products, understanding of the importance of both patient and caregiver safety, and team commitment to customer service provide a great foundation to build your mobility program on,” notes Arnold-Menjoulet. “Our team will work with you to ensure you get the sustainable results you are looking for!”
Organizations who benefit from Savaria and EarlyMobility.com’s joint expertise can expect custom implementation plans tailored to organizational needs and support for facilities in defining and tracking key performance indicators such as:
Meeting these goals is increasingly critical to your organization’s overall success. Mobility, especially when implemented safely, early, and continuously, has been repeatedly proven to drive better outcomes. Research shows early mobility reduces complications like ICU-acquired weakness, delirium, falls, pressure injuries, pneumonia, and functional decline.1,2
A comprehensive mobility program also addresses the larger challenges organizations face today, such as aging populations with increasing care complexity, staff burnout and turnover, and increasing pressure to show value in the care delivered.
Savaria, in collaboration with EarlyMobility.com, is building a future where patients can recover faster, caregivers can do their jobs more safely, and healthcare systems can thrive and change. This requires more than equipment such as lifts, slings, and surfaces. It requires a focus on recovery, dignity, prevention, and safety.
Together, Savaria and EarlyMobility.com are rising to the challenge and ready to partner with healthcare organizations across North America to implement mobility strategies that work, not just in theory, but on the ground, shift after shift.
Savaria Patient Care delivers integrated solutions supporting safe patient handling, effective pressure injury prevention, and improved clinical outcomes across the care continuum—from hospitals and long-term care homes to private residences. Built upon the strengths of Span, Handicare, and Silvalea, Savaria Patient Care is a division of Savaria Corporation (TSX: SIS), a global leader in accessibility.
Learn more about our story at savariapatientcare.com/about
EarlyMobility.com is a leading resource hub dedicated to advancing the science and practice of early mobility in healthcare settings. Our mission is to bridge the gap between clinical evidence and practical application by equipping frontline providers, healthcare leaders, and organizations with actionable insights, tools, and training. We translate the latest research into real-world strategies that prioritize both patient and caregiver safety while driving meaningful improvements in mobility outcomes. By focusing on safe, sustainable implementation from ICU mobility and verticalization pathways across the continuum of care, EarlyMobility.com empowers teams to enhance recovery, reduce complications, and foster a culture of shared responsibility and resilience. Whether you’re launching a new initiative or scaling an existing one, EarlyMobility.com is your trusted partner in moving evidence into action.
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27707496/
[2] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnc.2020.02.001
