vzw Sint-Annendael

Working in a residential care centre is a very stressful job. “Most of our residents need assistance," explains occupational therapist Alien Reynders. “We help them go to bed, go to the toilet or wash themselves. Hoisting and lifting is part of the job.”

Need for increased knowledge of ergonomics

Staff already have a large number of resources to make their work easier, such as sliding sheets, slings or bath lifts. There was, however, a need for increased knowledge of ergonomics.

“The question came from our employees themselves," says Alien. “Some colleagues had gone on sick leave, while others were complaining about back pain or other issues. They wanted to know how they could prevent the issues from getting worse.” The management of non-profit organisation Sint-Annendael sent Alien and Silvester to become ergonomics coaches through the IDEWE Group’s training course.

“Every occupational therapist has their own area of expertise. Mine is PDL, or passivities of daily life, which is a bit of a mouthful!” laughs Alien. “It all comes down to the fact that I have highly dependent residents in my care: people who are bedridden or unable to move around on their own. I draw up a schedule for all of them, in which I set out the best way to help them into bed or put them in a wheelchair. The link to ergonomics was quickly established.”

Minor adjustments can make a world of difference

“I found it rewarding to experience what it is like to be in need of assistance during the Ergocoach lessons,” says Alien. She experienced first-hand how it felt to hang in a sling or sit on a slide sheet while someone was helping her. “I was particularly surprised to learn how a few simple adjustments increase not only your own comfort but also that of the patient.”

Alien is now putting the tips to good use in practice. As an example, there was a man who couldn’t get out of bed on his own, and Alien had to support him every time he stood up. “Thanks to the training, I knew that you had to keep a close eye on the position of the lifting pole. That’s the triangular bar above the bed,” explains Alien. “Usually it hangs just above the patient, but the bar must run parallel to the edge of the bed. We’re always keeping an eye on that now.”

The coaching techniques have given me the confidence to provide ergonomics training courses myself.

The attention has paid off, as the man now uses the lifting pole to get himself out of bed. “He decides when he starts the day. You can see that he’s much happier”, says Alien with satisfaction.

Alien also likes the fact that two instructors provided the training. “There were ten of us on the course, so we had one instructor for five participants. This allowed you to ask a lot of questions from your own work experience.”

From attendee to instructor

The knowledge Alien gained will be shared with her colleagues, and she will draw on her own lessons to do so. Alien: “At first, I had all sorts of questions. Where do you start in practice? How do I communicate the information clearly? I felt a little insecure, because the internal sessions represent a crucial link in our efforts to improve wellbeing both for us and the residents.”

Fortunately, Alien also learned a few coaching techniques during the IDEWE training course. “One such example was learning to imitate practical situations in pairs. One person plays the resident, while the other assumes the role of a caregiver. Together, we then work out how to put someone into bed or wash them with the least amount of strain possible. I’m going to use that approach in my sessions, too,” concludes Alien.