How to Choose a Hospital Bed for Home Use

Sleep, or the lack of it, impacts the brain and body on a molecular level. It impacts energy balance, intellectual function, alertness, and mood. Sound sleep is a necessity in order to function at your best and most healthy. 

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People who use a hospital bed at home often deal with medications, illness, and pain - all of which can get in the way of quality sleep. Choosing the right bed can facilitate restorative sleep that contributes to your overall good health.

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Strength of Caregiver

Caregiver needs should be considered, ensuring the proper level of care can be provided. For a patient who requires a lot of position changes, a manual bed wouldn’t be the best choice. An electric bed will take the most strain off a caregiver. A caregiver’s strength and stamina should be taken into consideration when deciding which home hospital bed is the best choice.

Size of the Patient

A specifically designed bariatric bed, which is wider than a standard bed, is more comfortable for heavier users. A pediatric patient will be more safe and comfortable in a child-sized bed. Beds can also be ordered to accommodate especially tall patients. Whatever the best bed size is for the patient, it can be found.

Positioning

For patients who spend the majority of their time in bed, especially if mobility challenges prevent them from regularly self-repositioning, a hospital bed’s positioning features can greatly impact comfort and quality of sleep. The number of sections, position options, and height adjustability all contribute to the user experience. Here are the most popular positioning options:

• Trendelenburg: the patient is supine with head declined below the feet. This position is used in a clinical setting to reverse hypotension, treat low cardiac output, insert central IV catheters, increase postural drainage, reduce leg swelling, and help move heavy patients up in bed. It also allows better access to insert venous catheters.
• Reverse Trendelenburg: the patient is supine while the head is raised above the heart and the legs. It is used in surgeries of the head and the neck to decrease blood loss and can also be used to help decrease blood pressure.
• Comfort Chair: A hospital bed that can move a patient from a flat position to a seated position at a controlled rate with a minimal amount of patient movement helps provide relief to the lungs and supports circulation. Requiring a 4-function bed, the chair position uses sections that support the back, bottom, arms, and legs of the patient.
• Fowler's Position: a standard position where the patient is seated in a semi-upright position at an angle between 30 and 90 degrees, with legs either bent or straight. It helps expand the chest as the top of the bed is raised, and is often used to promote respiration and oxygenation

Assembly Service

Optional assembly services take the guesswork and effort out of setting up a hospital bed at home. It is probably already a stressful time of change when bringing a hospital bed into the house, and knowing the bed has been assembled correctly by professional installers can alleviate some of that stress and contribute to a calmer and more comfortable environment.

Rehabmart has a large selection of hospital beds and other products that offer assembly services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do I need a hospital bed at home?

A: A hospital bed at home can be a valuable tool to promote rest and healing. Whether recovering from an injury or in-patient stay, or adjusting to mobility limitations, you can enjoy improved health, increased independence, and a positive impact on quality of life with the addition of a hospital bed at home. The knee and head adjustability offer improved incontinence support, easy sanitization helps create a healthy environment, and repositioning options decrease the risk of pressure ulcers and provide comfortable postural support. Safety features like side rails or mattresses with bolsters can also minimize the risk of falling out of bed, as does height adjustability.

Q: What is the most comfortable hospital bed?

A: This answer is different for everyone, but there are options to fit any needs. Beds that have multiple positions to correctly and comfortably support the body along with mattresses that range in firmness and available therapeutic features all impact the comfort of the user.

Q: What Is A Full-Electric Hospital Bed?

A: A full-electric hospital bed electrically adjusts the height, head, and feet positions with the press of a button. Benefits include fostering patient independence and safety features to ensure maximum user comfort and safety while minimizing the physical strain on a caregiver.

Q: Can I get a hospital bed for home use?

A: Yes. Rehabmart has a wide selection of hospital and home care beds.

Q: What is a semi-electric hospital bed?

A: A semi-electric bed uses a combination of manual and electric adjustments. The head and foot sections are usually electrically adjustable, while a hand crank is used to manually adjust the height of the bed. For users who benefit from the ability to adjust the head and foot sections for positioning comfort but don’t need the height adjusted every time they get in and out of bed, this style is a great choice. 

Q: What is a bariatric hospital bed?

A: A bariatric hospital bed meets the size and support requirements of larger-framed users who weigh more than what standard hospital beds can accommodate. Some models are able to accommodate patients weighing up to 1,000 pounds. Although not all bariatric beds can accommodate that weight, they pick up where standard beds that serve patients weighing between 350-450 pounds leave off. Their heavy duty construction makes them durable, while their height adjustability, safety rails, and extra width serve the specific needs of bariatric patients.

Q: Does Medicare cover hospital beds?

A: Medicare will cover home hospital beds if they are prescribed by a doctor as a medically necessary piece of durable medical equipment.

Q: How much does a fully electric hospital bed cost?

A: A fully electric home hospital bed can range from $500 to $6000, and the mattress isn’t always included, so consumers need to make sure they are also getting all the appropriate accessories when purchasing a bed.

Q: What's the difference between an electric hospital bed and an adjustable bed?

A: A main focus of a hospital bed is to deliver care and treatment effectively while maintaining patient safety and comfort. Adjustable beds are designed with an emphasis on maximum user comfort and support for sleeping, reading, eating, watching tv, or relaxing in bed. Adjustable beds are more like standard beds, while home hospital beds are treatment-focused and can have a more institutional design and feel.

Final Thoughts

With sleep being an essential function, your sleep space should cater to what will help you achieve the greatest amount of rest. Your sleeping brain recovers from the stresses of the day. Performance and decision-making are definitely impacted by quality and quantity of sleep. Proper sleep contributes to feeling more alert and positive, and helps ward off disease and combat medical challenges. After a good night's sleep, you perform better and are better at making decisions. Sleep can help you feel more alert, optimistic, and get along with people better. Sleep also helps your body ward off disease.

Choose the options in a home hospital bed that best meets your needs for comfort and care, to ensure the best possible, and most healing and restorative sleep you can get. We’ve gone over the types of hospital beds, and since not all beds come with their own dedicated mattresses, it’s important to consider what you need in a mattress for your hospital bed as well. Our selection of the 5 Best Hospital Bed Mattresses will help you make an informed decision when it’s time to set up a hospital bed at home.

For more information on how to choose the best home hospital bed for your needs, visit our extensive library at Caregiver University.

Hulet Smith, OT

Co-founder/CEO of Rehabmart, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, husband, and father. Passionate about connecting special needs kids with superb nutrition, sensory integration, and complementary health strategies. Excited about Rehabmart's mission to become the premier online educational platform which empowers caregivers by spotlighting innovative devices and interventions to achieve optimal patient response and recovery.

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What is a Hospital Bed at Home? 

A hospital bed is a specially designed bed for hospitalized patients who are bed-ridden and need round-the-clock care after an injury, surgery or chronic illness. A hospital bed at home is designed to meet the needs of patients who are recovering and must spend a lot of time in bed. They are flexible, and their adjustability makes them more appropriate for providing comfortable support than a standard bed, enabling caregivers to deliver quality care.

Types of Hospital Beds

There are many types of hospital beds available but what type of bed a patient needs depends on their requirements. However, three types of beds are majorly used, and they are:

Manual Bed: Manual hospital beds are very common and are controlled by hands. It does not have any electric connections or technology. To change the level or height of the bed, a caregiver needs to change the position of the crank using their hands.

Semi-Electronic Bed: A semi-electronic bed is linked to a motor at the bottom of the bed that requires an electric connection to operate. Without electricity, it transforms into a manual bed. These beds are slightly more advanced than manual beds, but the height cannot be changed automatically. Using a remote or controller, the patient can change the position of their head and feet. But to change the height of the bed, a caregiver needs to adjust it manually.

Full-Electronic Bed: A full-electric bed is the most advanced bed among all kinds of beds. These beds are fully electric and come with a remote control that allows the patient to change the position of the head and feet and the height level with a single click.

It is essential to consult your doctor about specific needs and recommendations before renting or purchasing hospital beds at home.

The Benefits of Having a Hospital Bed at Home

A hospital bed at home can help promote proper rest and faster recovery. Here are some reasons why a hospital bed is essential at home:

• Improved Incontinence Support:

For bed-ridden patients who spend most of their time in bed, especially with mobility challenges, a hospital bed’s positioning features can largely impact comfort and quality of sleep. Adjustable hospital beds have many sections, height adjustability features and positioning options that greatly contribute to the user’s experience.

• Helps Avoid Ulcers:

They provide repositioning options that offer comfortable postural support and help decrease the risk of bedsores and pressure ulcers.

• Maintains Patient Safety:

They are equipped with safety features like side rails or mattresses with bolsters that can minimize the chance of falling out of bed.

• Maintains Cleanliness and Hygiene of the Patient

The cleanliness and hygiene of the patient is a top priority and therefore must be always given attention. Patient beds have vinyl covers that are durable, waterproof, and washable. This makes it easy for the caregivers to clean the beds and maintain hygiene if the patient happens to cause stains or any other forms of splatters or spots on the hospital bed cover.

Things to Consider when Choosing a Hospital Bed at Home.

Hospital beds have special features both for the patient’s comfort and for the convenience of health care workers and are available in a broad range of styles, patterns, and sizes. Before choosing patient beds, it’s important to consider their characteristics to ensure they meet the patient’s safety and demands.

Consider these factors before buying or renting a hospital bed at home:

• Short-Term vs Long-Term

Patients need to first consider whether they need the hospital bed for short-term or long-term use. Suppose a patient is bed-ridden for an extended time or spends more than 15 hours a day in bed. A full-electric home hospital bed is best suited and provides long-term comfort and durability. On the other hand, semi-electric and manual beds are more suitable for short-term use.

• Mobility of Patient 

Patient mobility significantly impacts the kind of home hospital bed the user has chosen. A highly adjustable bed is best for unsteady patients who have balance issues and who cannot reposition themselves without assistance. At the same time, a manually adjusted bed would be more cost-effective for a patient who does not have mobility issues.

• Strength of Caregiver 

A caregiver’s strength and stamina should be considered before deciding which home hospital bed is best. An electric bed can help take the most strain off a caregiver as they have their self-positioning features.

• Size and Weight of the Patient 

When choosing a hospital bed for a patient, weight capacity is one of the essential factors to keep in mind. Patient beds at home come in different shapes to accommodate all age groups. For example, a bariatric bed is wider than a standard bed and is more comfortable for heavier users. At the same time, young patients and infants will be safer and more comfortable in a child-sized bed.

•  Strengthening Features

Push-button controls of adjustable hospital beds allow patients and caregivers to modify the bed frame, head, and foot as per their convenience. In semi-electric hospital beds’, the head and feet can be raised and lowered by pressing a button on the control panel.

• Options for a Side Rail and a Grab Bar

The side rails on a hospital bed frame keep patients from falling out of their beds, provide support during repositioning, and help the patient transfer into or out of bed.

Apollo Homecare:

A hospital bed can be a difficult choice to make. To make the right choice, it is important to consider the patient’s needs, available bed accessories, affordability, the bed’s safety, and positioning features. Apollo Homecare provides Hospital beds for rent and purchase, allowing the patients to choose based on their requirements.

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