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4 Tips to Choose the Best Medical Bed

1. Duration of use

If you or your loved one require a long-term patient bed, an extended-use bed (long-term care bed) may be beneficial. They are built to last, operate quietly, are designed for comfort, and often come in more colors and styles to match the décor of your home. For more temporary use, such as to recover from illness or surgery, a more standard hospital bed will do. Medical-surgical beds are available for people that require long term, intensive, around-the-clock care.

2. Amount of time spent in bed

If you or your loved one spend more than 15 hours a day in bed, you may want to choose a full electric bed. Manual and semi-electric beds are built for short-term use and tend to be less durable than full electric beds. The longer you spend in bed, the more likely you are to develop bed sores. Full electric beds allow you to change positions regularly to help alleviate pressure points on the body. This is also important when selecting mattresses.

3. Weight capacity of the bed

The specifications for the bed may indicate a weight capacity for the patient and for the bed itself. When determining weight capacity, be sure to factor in the weight of the user, mattress, bed linens, and anything else that would sit on top of the bed.

4. Mobility of user

There are many mobility requirements to consider when choosing a bed. Are you able to get in and out of bed by yourself? Do you need a bed that lowers when you are getting up? Are you able to sit upright on your own? Are you completely immobile? Your local mobility expert will consider all these questions and more when selecting the right hospital bed for you.

A long-term care bed may be better suited for users with less mobility that require more assistance. An electric bed may be the best option for patients that cannot operate a hand crank. Options such as footboard attendant controls may also be useful for patients that require caregiver assistance if they can’t operate buttons or levers themselves. For patients that are prone to falling out of bed, the solution may be a bed that can be lowered to less than 10″ (bed deck to floor height).

home hospital bed in store display with teddy bear
When determining weight capacity, be sure to factor in the weight of the mattress, bed linens, user, etc.
Patient in bed with nurse assistance
Determine how much assistance you or your loved one will require when selecting a medical bed.

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