A hospital bed is designed to give you a safe, stable and comfortable environment so that you can find the time to rest, recover, heal or be cared for in the comfort of your home. The great thing about hospital beds is that they come in all sorts of variations to deliver you the comfort that you are looking for.
However, because hospital beds come in all sorts of variations, choosing the right hospital style bed for home care can be quite overwhelming. Where do you start? What features should you consider? What types of hospital beds are there
If you’d like to learn more about how to choose the right hospital bed for home care, feel free to continue reading below.
Types of Hospital Beds
Before getting into choosing a hospital bed, it will be helpful to familiarise yourself with the different types of hospital beds that you can choose from. Typically, they come as a manual bed, a semi-electric bed or a fully electric bed.
Manual Hospital Beds
These beds are not adjusted by electric means. Rather, the user can adjust the positions of the head or the foot areas by operating a hand crank. These beds are cheaper and best for people who do not need many adjustments for positioning.
Semi-Electric Hospital Beds
These hospital beds have both manual and electric features. Generally, the manual feature involves a hand crank used to adjust the height of the bed while the electric features are used to adjust the head and foot sections of the bed. These beds are great for people who need to position a lot but cannot afford a fully electric bed.
Fully Electric Hospital Beds
Fully electric hospital beds allow users to adjust the head section, foot section and height of the bed through electric features. These beds are what is often used in medical facilities as patients can adjust the bed with just the touch of a button.
Choosing the Right Hospital Bed
There are various factors to consider before choosing the right hospital bed for home care for you. Here are some factors to take into consideration:
Mobility
Are you suffering a mobility impairment? How mobile are you? Will you be getting out of bed by yourself? Are you secure on your feet? How able are you to adjust the bed? If, for example, you are not mobile enough to adjust the bed yourself, you may want to consider purchasing a semi-electric or a fully electric hospital bed.
Longevity
How long will you be needing the hospital bed? If you will be needing to stay in bed for a long period of time, a fully electric bed might be a practical option for long-term comfort. Meanwhile, manual or semi-electric beds are more practical for short-term needs.
Size of the User
Depending on height, shorter or taller patients could require extended or shortened beds. Meanwhile, patients that are a bit heavier may require a bariatric bed to accommodate them more comfortably.
Strength of Caregiver
If your primary caregiver is not so strong and mobile, the best option may be to purchase an electric bed so that both the caregiver and user can adjust the bed safely.
Hospital Bed Features to Consider
There are also more hospital bed features to consider. Some of these features include the following:
Positioning Options
Standard hospital beds allow you to position parts of the bed by raising or lowering the back or feet. Make sure that you choose a hospital bed that has flexible positioning options so that the user and the caregiver feel as comfortable as possible.
Side Rails
Some hospital beds actually come with side rails. This may be something to consider especially if the user is a fall risk and needs that extra support. Patients and caregivers can transfer with stability. Side rails can cover half the bed or the whole length depending on your preferences.
Bed Scales
Some hospital beds have built-in bed scales so that patients can be weighed without leaving the bed. This is especially helpful for users that need to be weighed often due to medical requirements.
Storage
Newer models of hospital beds also have storage space so that patients and caregivers can access necessary supplies. This may be an important feature worth considering for convenience.
Final Thoughts
There are various factors to consider when it comes to choosing a hospital bed for home care. You’ll need to familiarise yourself with the types of hospital beds, consider your medical needs and demands and evaluate which hospital bed features are best suited for your situation.
If you are looking for quality beds and bedroom accessories, then look no further than Get About Mobility. At Get About Mobility, we only offer quality beds and bedroom accessories at the most competitive prices. This means you can trust every purchase to be safe, effective and durable.
If you are looking for a hospital bed, visit our online store or call Get About Mobility on 1300 168 902 or
leave an enquiry and we will get back to you as soon as possible.