Helping a patient recover from conditions and injuries such as a stroke and fractures to stand used to require the help of at least three therapists. But a ceiling track hoist at St Andrew’s Community Hospital Day Rehabilitation Centre has helped reduce the number to one or two.

Patients wear a harness that is hooked to the hoist, which gives them an extra push as they walk from one end of the centre to another. The hoist is also used to let patients practise going up and down steps.

Since the two hoists, which run over 20m of ceiling track, were installed at the centre in January last year, the average number of patients physiotherapists saw daily has increased from 70 to 90, a feat achieved with the help of other steps taken to improve operations, the centre shared.

“When patients stumble, they will not fall, so it gives the therapist more confidence in training the patients ... It has also helped cut down man hours,” said the centre’s senior manager, Charity Chu.

Recovering stroke patient Mr Hamzah said the ceiling hoist helps him walk more confidently. “I can do four or five rounds (with the hoist), but with the walking stick, one round and (I am) tired already,” he added.

Other efforts to improve the rehabilitation process for patients include virtual reality games that help them hone their mobility.

These games are projected onto the floor and require patients to do specific actions such as lifting their right leg to “burst balloons”.

“Conventionally, we ask them to stand and lift their legs x number of times, and they have little motivation to do that,” said Ms Chu. KELLY NG