Homecare Made Easy: Choosing the Right Hospital Bed for Your Home

  • Apr 18, 2024

 

 

Introduction

Whenever you need to take care of a bedridden family member, the first step you should take is to choose a good quality medical bed for home. A Hospital or medical bed for home provides enough comfort to the patient requiring round-the-clock care after surgery, injury, or chronic illness. Unlike regular beds, medical beds must meet the patient's needs and possess enough flexibility to give comfortable support and let caregivers provide quality care.   

However, the question is what types of hospital beds for home must caregivers and family members should choose for their loved ones. For this, our blog post will explore a few types of hospital beds supplied by good companies and the factors to consider to selecting the right one for homecare patients.

Types of Hospital Beds for Home

Family members and caregivers mostly use the following types of hospital beds for home to meet the specific requirements of the patients-

Manual Beds

As the name itself, individuals control the position of manual hospital beds by using their hands only. These beds lack advanced technology or any type of electric connection. In the case of manual beds, caregivers change the bed crank’s position manually or by using their hands.  

Semi-Electronic Beds

Semi-electric beds belong to the category of adjustable hospital beds. These beds stay linked to a motor placed beneath the bed. Such beds need electric connections to perform their functions.

If there is no electric supply, semi-electronic beds work like manual beds. Even though these beds are relatively more advanced than manual ones, one cannot change their height automatically. Instead, a caregiver needs to adjust the bed position manually. However, patients/family members/caregivers may the position of the patient's feet and head with a remote control.    

Fully Electric Beds

A full electric hospital bed is an advanced bed from all other types of beds. Such beds are fully electric and are available with a remote control. Such beds help users to change the patient’s position and the bed’s height with only one click.  

Factors to Consider in Select the Right Hospital Beds for Home

Whenever you go to buy hospital beds for home, you should consider the following factors-

Determine the Patients’ Requirements

You should determine the specific requirements of a patient before choosing a hospital bed for your home. The considerations will be the mobility, height, weight, and certain medical conditions of a patient. Accordingly, you need to focus on special features, like adjustable footrests or heads, pressure relief systems, and side rails.

Size of a Hospital Bed

You should look for a medical bed for home, which is of the right size for a patient. Standard beds are available in queen, full, and twin sizes. Choosing a bed of appropriate size will make sure about both the comfort and safety of patients whenever they rest or sleep.

Check the Available Space

One should check the available space in the room of a patient while choosing a medical bed. For this, we suggest you measure the room properly to find enough space for accommodating the bed with its essential equipment or accessories.

Choose the Type of Hospital Mattress

The mattress is an essential component of hospital beds for home, as it gives the required comfort and support to the patient. We recommend you select a mattress according to the specific needs and medical condition of a patient. These include alternating pressure mattresses or pressure relief products.

Weight Capacity of the Bed

Whether you are a family member or a caregiver of a bedridden patient, you must essentially check the weight capacity of any hospital bed. By doing so, you may ensure that the bed safely supports the weight of the patient. The weight capacity factor is crucial for obese or overweight patients.

Consider the Adjustability Features

Hospital beds are often adjustable to help patients change their beds’ positions to achieve the highest possible safety and comfort. You must look for beds that give adjustment for the footrest and head. Also, the bed must allow users to alter its height according to the requirements.

Analyze the Patient’s Mobility Requirements

Make sure to analyze the mobility requirements of a patient whenever you choose a medical bed for home. You must look for an adjustable hospital bed or an easily movable bed, which comes equipped with wheels. Moreover, your chosen bed must be adjustable to a specific height so that the patient may get in or out of it without any problem.

Safety Features in a Bed are Compulsory

Hospital or medical beds must possess certain safety features, like locking mechanisms, side rails, and emergency alarms. Make sure to evaluate the bed’s safety features so that it meets the safety requirements of your loved one.

Focus on Repair and Maintenance of Hospital Beds

Lastly, you must focus on the repair and maintenance of hospital beds. Accordingly, choose easy-to-maintain and easy-to-clean beds. Never forget to check the service plan or a reliable warranty if you need any repairs.  

Conclusion

Selecting a good quality hospital bed for home care is crucial to providing the required medical care with comfort and safety. Therefore, get a good bed for your loved ones so that they gain a good night's sleep and recover from health ailments quickly.