Handicare MiniLift160EE Sit-to-Stand Lift

The Handicare MiniLift160EE Sit-to-Stand Lift is Handicare's SystemRoMedic active sit-to-stand lift, manufacturer code 60300012, rated 160 kg (350 lb). It is built for the person who can still take part in standing up and needs the lift to do the rest, and it exercises the leg muscles and balance while it works. Westin Healthcare delivers it and sets it up across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area.

This is the MiniLift160EE with electrical base widening and the standard-height chassis. EE means the base opens electrically. The caregiver widens or narrows the legs from the pendant without letting go of it or bending down, and the hand control has 4 buttons: up, down, legs open, legs closed. That matters when the base has to be opened around a wheelchair or a commode and closed again to get back through a doorway, several times a shift.

Who this lift is for

An active sit-to-stand lift is not a smaller Hoyer. Handicare puts the prerequisites in a box of their own in the manual, and they are worth reading before anyone orders one.

• The user must be able to support weight while standing
• The user must be able to understand instructions
• Recommended user height 1400-2000 mm (55.1-78.7 in)
• Users within 160 kg (350 lb), limited by the lowest rating among the lift, the vest and any other accessory

Handicare describes MiniLift as assisting users with reduced function when rising from sitting to standing. Somebody who cannot take load through their legs at all, or who cannot follow the instruction to hold on and stand, needs a passive full-body floor lift instead.

How it works

The user sits on the edge of the bed or the chair and puts their feet on the footplate, which sits 59 mm (2.3 in) off the floor and has an anti-slip surface. The lower legs rest against a soft, adjustable leg support. The ThoraxSling vest goes behind the back, and the user takes hold of the handle bar or the side supports, which are shaped to give several hand placements rather than one.

Then the lift arm rises. Handicare's design moves the user forward and upward in a natural movement pattern rather than hoisting them straight up, which is what makes the transfer comfortable and what gives the leg muscles and the balance system something to do. When the appropriate accessories are fitted the user is supported under the feet, at the front of the lower legs and behind the back at once.

The lift arm is easily adjustable and so is the leg support, so the geometry can be set to the person rather than the person adapting to the lift. There is a quick guide printed on the lift itself. The control box carries diagnostics including a lift counter and an overload indicator, and the electrical emergency stop button is on the control box where a caregiver can reach it. Emergency lowering works both manually and electrically. The rear castors lock.

Standard legs, and when low legs would be the better order

This is the standard-height chassis: legs 123 mm (4.8 in) high, 73 mm (2.8 in) of ground clearance under the leg, and 100 mm (3.9 in) castors front and rear, which Handicare describes as easy rolling and maintenance free on the standard-height variants.

Handicare also builds the same lift on a low-leg chassis for use with lower beds. There the legs are 65 mm (2.5 in), ground clearance drops to 20 mm (0.7 in) and the front castors drop to 70 mm (2.8 in). It is worth measuring before you order, because the chassis cannot be changed later. If the base has to slide under a low bed frame, order the low-leg MiniLift160EE instead. If it does not, the extra ground clearance on this build is the more useful thing to have.

Handicare MiniLift160EE Sit-to-Stand Lift specifications

Handicare publishes the rest in the instructions for use. The lift runs on two 12 V, 2.9 Ah valve-regulated sealed gel batteries with built-in charging on the lift and a charger rated at a maximum of 400 mA. Lifting speed is 35 mm/s (1.4 in/s) without load, emergency lowering works both manually and electrically, protection is IP24, the operating force on the hand control buttons is 4 N, and Handicare gives an expected lifetime of 10 years. The turning diameter is 1109 mm (43.6 in). The lift meets the requirements of the Medical Devices Directive for Class 1 products, 93/42/EEC, and the current revision states it has been tested to IEC 60601-1-2 Edition 4 for electromagnetic compatibility.

Charge it before the first use for at least 4 hours, and charge it daily for the best battery life. The emergency stop has to be released while it charges, and the lift must not be charged in a wet room.

The rest of the MiniLift range

MiniLift is one lift in five orderable builds, and each one is its own product here so the code you buy is the code that ships:

• The MiniLift160EM, manual base widening, standard legs.
• The MiniLift160EM low legs, manual base widening, low legs.
• 60300012: MiniLift160EE. This listing, electrical base widening, standard legs.
• The MiniLift160EE low legs, electrical base widening, low legs.
• The MiniLift200, electrical base widening, 200 kg (440 lb).

If you are not sure which build suits the room, call us and we will work through the bed height, the doorway and the person with you. All of our standing aids sit on the sit-to-stand lifts hub.

Funding help for a patient lift in Ontario

Ontario's Assistive Devices Program (ADP) does not cover patient lifts or other lifting devices. Funding routes that can help when the eligibility criteria fit: ODSP, March of Dimes Canada, and hardship funding programs. Westin Healthcare's staff work with these programs every week and will point you to the right route for your situation. Visit our funding page or call (905) 451-7743 to talk it through before you buy.

Delivery and setup in Brampton and the GTA

Westin's own team delivers and sets up this lift across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area. We bring it in, assemble it, and show you the hand control before we leave.

You are welcome to visit our Brampton showroom, or Mobility Specialties, our partner store in Etobicoke, if you would rather see a lift first. For a scheduled in-home setup, call (905) 451-7743 and we will book the next date that works. Same-day delivery is offered through our patient lift rental service; purchased lifts are delivered and set up on a scheduled date.

Floor patient lifts are oversized. The Canada-wide free ground-shipping offer on smaller goods does not apply. If the lift is going outside the GTA, ask us for a freight quote. Inside Toronto and the GTA, White-Glove Delivery (bring-in, unwrap, test, take packaging away) is described on the shipping policy. Any charge is confirmed on your order.

Can I rent a patient lift before I buy?

Yes. If you only need a lift for a recovery, or you want to live with a lift before you buy, rent first. See current packages and rates on the rentals hub and the patient lift rentals page. Westin rents electric floor lifts across Brampton and the GTA.

Rental packages include an electric floor lift and a sling. For rentals we offer same-day delivery in Brampton, Etobicoke, Toronto, and Mississauga, and next-day delivery for other areas, with one day of notice. Ask us whether a sit-to-stand lift is on the rental fleet for your dates.

If you later decide to buy, ask us about the Rental to Purchase First Month Credit program (an active Westin loyalty program). The rentals hub and rental program FAQs have the program rules.

Which sling this lift takes

The MiniLift does not use a spreader bar and it does not take a full-body sling. Handicare's vest for it is the ThoraxSling, described by the manufacturer as a specially adapted and very comfortable sit-to-stand vest used in combination with SystemRoMedic MiniLift lifts. It is easy for a caregiver to apply and gives the user an added sense of security during rising and standing training, and Handicare notes that it also facilitates toileting.

It comes in two models and several materials:

• ThoraxSling, which supports behind the back, in polyester (XS to XXL), wipeable (S to XXL) or disposable non-woven (S to XL, five per pack)
• ThoraxSling with seat support, which also supports under the seat, in polyester (S to XL) or disposable non-woven (S to XL, five per pack)

Our Thorax Sling page carries the range. The vest is quoted separately from the lift so it can be sized to the person and matched to the task. Handicare also lists the CalfStrap (70200033) and the SlingBarWrap MiniLift (70200012), a soft wipeable protection for the bar, and an external Linak charger (70200029) that suits all models and variants of MiniLift. Handicare also lists hand control HB33-6 (70200089), a 6-button control with service, battery status and overload indicators, specifically for the MiniLift160EE codes 60300012 and 60300013, which includes this one.

Remember the rule Handicare prints in the manual: different products in the same lift system may have different allowable safe working loads, and the lowest one determines the safe working load of the whole assembly. Always check the lift and the accessories before use. Browse the range on sit-to-stand slings, and ask our staff to confirm the size before you order.

Related lifts from Westin

If the person cannot take load through their legs, an active standing lift is the wrong tool and a full-body floor lift is the right one. The Handicare Eva600EE and the Handicare Carina 350 are the Handicare floor lifts we stock, and the Span America F400 folds for transport.

Among standing aids, Beka's carry-bar machines work differently: the person wears a stand-up sling that clips or loops onto a bar rather than a vest on a footplate. Those are the Beka Nora Alu at 200 kg (440 lb) and the Beka Nora Pro at 205 kg (451 lb). Everything sits on the patient lifts hub.

Service, repairs, and warranty

When something on the lift needs work, you call the shop that set it up, not an overseas parts desk. Westin Healthcare has a service and repairs department. Our technicians come to the home or workplace.

Handicare warranty and inspection

The SystemRoMedic user manual states that the warranty applies only if repairs or alterations are done by an authorized technician, and that repairs and maintenance may only be done by authorized personnel using original spare parts. No year count is printed in the manual, so ask us for the current terms that ship with your serial number and we will handle a claim with you.

Handicare requires a thorough inspection at least once per year, performed by authorized personnel and in accordance with the Handicare service manual, and publishes an expected product lifetime of 10 years. Clean the lift with warm water or a soap solution, keep the castors free of dirt and hair, and avoid cleaning agents containing phenol or chlorine. Handicare also offers service agreements for maintenance and regular testing. We can quote the annual inspection with the lift.

Frequently asked questions

Which MiniLift is this exactly?

It is manufacturer code 60300012, the MiniLift160EE with electrical base widening and standard legs. Handicare rates it at 160 kg (350 lb).

What is the difference between EM and EE?

The base widening, and nothing else. EM opens and closes the legs by hand at the chassis and has a 2-button hand control. EE opens and closes them electrically from the pendant and has a 4-button hand control. Both lift the same way, to the same rating, with the same geometry. This build is the Electrical one.

What does "low legs" mean?

It is a lower chassis for use with lower beds. The legs are 65 mm (2.5 in) high instead of 123 mm (4.8 in), the front castors are 70 mm (2.8 in) instead of 100 mm (3.9 in), and ground clearance under the leg drops from 73 mm (2.8 in) to 20 mm (0.7 in). Choose it when the base has to go under a low bed frame, and choose standard legs otherwise. This listing is the standard-leg build.

Does it use a sling?

It uses a vest, not a sling on a spreader bar. Handicare's ThoraxSling is the sit-to-stand vest for the MiniLift, and it comes with or without seat support in polyester, wipeable or disposable fabrics. A full-body hoist sling does not fit this lift.

Does ADP cover a patient lift in Ontario?

No. Ontario's Assistive Devices Program does not cover patient lifts or other lifting devices. Other routes can help when the criteria fit, and our staff will point you at the right one. Call (905) 451-7743 before you buy.

Who should not use an active sit-to-stand lift?

Handicare is specific: the user must be able to support weight while standing and understand instructions. Someone who cannot do both should be transferred on a passive full-body floor lift. Have a clinician assess the person before the first transfer.

How tall or short can the person be?

Handicare gives a recommended user length of 1400 to 2000 mm (55.1 to 78.7 in) on every MiniLift.

Can it be used for toileting?

Handicare says the ThoraxSling facilitates toileting, and the vest and footplate design leaves the seat area accessible. Talk to us about the seat-support version if toileting is the main task.

Will it fit through my doorway?

The base closes to 531 mm (20.9 in) inside and 669 mm (26.3 in) outside, and the lift is 919 mm (36.2 in) long and 980 mm (38.6 in) tall. Folded for storage or transport it is 1098 mm (43.2 in). Measure your narrowest doorway and the clear floor beside the bed and we will check it with you.

How long does the battery last on a charge?

Handicare does not publish a transfer count. What it does say is to charge the lift for at least 4 hours before the first use, to charge daily for maximum battery life, and that a tone sounds during use when the battery needs recharging. The control box display shows the charge in four stages, and at the lowest stage the lift will only drive the lift arm down.

Does a vest come with the lift?

No. The lift is supplied with the control box and battery pack, the undercarriage, the footplate, the leg support, the hand control and cord, the user manual and the charger. The ThoraxSling is quoted separately so it can be sized to the person.

Can I rent a lift first?

Yes. Westin rents electric floor lifts across Brampton and the GTA, with a sling in the package. Ask us whether a sit-to-stand lift is on the rental fleet for your dates. If you buy afterwards, ask about the Rental to Purchase First Month Credit program.

How is this different from a Beka Nora?

Different mechanics. A MiniLift stands the person up from a footplate with a vest behind the back and leg supports at the shins. A Nora raises them on a carry bar with a stand-up sling under the arms and knee pads at the front. Both are for people who can take some load through their legs. Which suits better depends on the person, and it is worth a conversation rather than a spec comparison. Call (905) 451-7743.