There are many styles of Patient Lifts. Some are full weight barring while others like the sit to stand options have people bare some weight on their legs.
Manual Lifts
These lifts have a hydraulic system that a caregiver cranks with their hand to raise the patient up, there is a switch on the hydraulic shaft that allows you to lower the patient while in the lift. The patient sits in the sling while this is being done, it requires no effort by the patient. The caregiver does have to push the unit over to the patient and is required to have some strength to move the patient to and from where they are going.
Electric Patient Lifts
These are run on batteries which are rechargeable. You push a button on a remote to raise the patient up or down. It is easier on the caregiver but you still have to be able to push the unit to where you need to go as that portion of the lift is not electric. Raising the patient up and down is done effortlessly.
Sit to Stand Patient Lifts
This lift can be either manual or electric. It requires the patient to be able to put some weight on their legs as it requires a lot more effort out of the patient than the manual or electric lift. Please keep in consideration the patients strength as the only way this unit will become easier to use is by the patient gaining strength.
Other Things to Consider
Choosing a sling is something that is overlooked. Slings come in many styles and variations, for example you can purchase full body slings which work similar to a hammock style when picking an individual up, you have a commode cutout which allows a patient to be picked up and sat over a commode without getting out of the lift. All Slings are machine washable and come in sizes like small, medium, large and so on. Usually the size of the sling is determined by the height and weight of the patient.
Make sure you get a hoyer lift with right weight capacity. Most lifts have a 300 lb weight capacity but All Star Medical has some with higher weight capacities.
Consider your surroundings when choosing a patient lift. You will need room to maneuver around in your home.