You are not installing this pole for the photo on the box. You are installing it so a parent can grip it, pull up from the bed, and let go without the whole thing shifting. That takes one order of steps, and skipping one is how a pole ends up leaning in the closet.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Before you open the box
Read the manufacturer's instructions all the way through, including the weight limit printed on the pole and the list of ceiling types it is rated for. Check the height range too. A pressure-mounted pole is set to a specific floor-to-ceiling distance, and the gap you measure has to fall inside that range. Measure where the pole will stand, not at the middle of the room, because ceilings are not always level.
Decide where the pole goes. It should be close enough to the bed that your parent can reach it from a seated position and stand up with one hand on it. Check that the spot leaves room for the bed to be moved and for a second person to stand beside it.
Find the structure
Use a stud finder on the ceiling to locate the joists, then mark the center line of each joist with painter's tape. Next, identify what the ceiling is made of. Ordinary drywall over framing is the usual case. Plaster over lath can crack under pressure, and a drop-in tile grid cannot hold a pole at all. If the ceiling is anything other than drywall over joists, stop and ask the manufacturer or a contractor which mounting method they recommend.
Set the pole
Place the floor pad on a clean, dry spot, not on a loose rug edge or a threshold. Extend the pole to a length slightly under the measured height, then turn the tube until the top pad meets the ceiling. Keep the pole straight up. A tilted pole pushes harder on one corner and is more likely to slip.
Tighten the locking collar or lever in the order the manual lists. Most collars have a tightening direction and a stop, so do not force past the stop. Confirm both pads are fully seated and that the pole does not turn when you twist it by hand.
Test in stages
Do not test with the person who will use it. First push up on the pole with your full weight, then pull down at a slight angle, then pull sideways. Watch the ceiling pad, the floor pad, and the joist line for any movement. Wait a few minutes and check again, because some poles settle after the first load.
Repeat the check after the first week and again after the bed is moved for any reason. Write down when each check was done and who did it, so the next person knows where things stand. Name who calls the installer or the manufacturer if anything moves.
Know when to stop
If the pole moves in any test, take it down and re-check the location. If the ceiling is not framed where you need it, a bolted or professionally anchored fitting may be the better path, and that is a different job with different questions. If your parent's doctor or therapist has suggested a bed assist, ask them which type fits the bed and the way your parent gets up before you buy anything.