This thesis has been conducted at Tampere University of Applied Sciences in Research and Development Department. The purpose was to identify the transition and mobility aids’ characteristics, operation and development needs. This survey was carried out to develop a new application, which would be more comfortable to the user and adviser.

In the beginning, I gave an overview of the most widely used personal hoists in hospitals and nursing homes. Both the transition and turning assistive devices were included. The thesis’s attachments, which are confidential, are described about most commonly used transition’s aids in hospitals. Emphases were on indoors hoists as mobile hoists with sling seats, standing mobile hoists and stationary hoists fixed to the ceiling. Aid Units lend aids and rental companies also rent these, when needed.

The essential laws, decrees and standards were summarized for transition and mobility aids. The study also assessed the market and the demand of the aids.

Information about the transition and mobility aids were collected from hospitals by interviewing nursing stuff. Aid Units borrowing aids as well as rentals were also addressed to obtain additional information. Marketing-related information I got from Regional State Administrative Agency, the private sector and the internet. My work consists of own observations and photos. Some of the thesis’s attachments are confidential and are not involved in this public version of the work.