By John Bellingham, Rehab and Mobility Specialist

Hospital beds are one of the essential home healthcare tools for those who are bedridden. Why? Because they offer countless benefits over regular beds. Not only do they increase a person’s comfort over extended periods of time, their customizable features simplify adjusting the bed. Some of the advantages hospital beds offer are:

1. Better positioning for patients

Bedsores or pressure sores often occur when a person spends an extended period of time in bed. This is caused from the pressure exerted by the bed on the body which causes skin tissues to become trapped between bone and the surface of the bed.

Hospital beds provide relief: they help users adjust the bed’s position, allowing them to move the pressure from one part of their body to another. Mattresses should also be chosen carefully; ensure that a mattress that reduces friction is selected.

2. Improved Circulation

Hospital beds alter/adjust to better position the head and feet and is easily controlled by the user. This allows for the pressure points to change, thereby improving blood circulation while the bed is in use.

3.Safety

Hospital beds are required for those who need to be monitored by a caregiver or who are at risk of falling out of the bed (ex. people with dementia). The railings on the bed help to reduce this risk and therefore the risk of fractures due to the falls.

Rails can also be used to assist with getting in/out of bed, or to aid in re-positioning.

4. Transferring

Getting in and out of bed is one of the toughest things for patients. Hospital beds makes getting in and out easier because they are able to be risen higher or lower to suit the comfort of the patient.

For example, people who have hip and knee problems are more comfortable sitting with those joints at an angle greater than 90 degrees. Sitting at this angle helps them get into a standing position more easily. A hospital bed allows them to do this with security and ease.

5.  Caregiver Assistance

Hospital beds help eliminate the caregivers need to bend down to administer care and therefore eliminate back pain. The bed elevates the patients to a level so the caregiver can help without straining their own bodies in the process.

If you would like more information about how hospital beds can help you or a loved one, give us a call at 519 631 3330.