Having the best hospital bed for you or your loved one is key when it comes to recovery. However, with so many options available, it can be difficult knowing which hospital bed is most suitable to improve quality of life
In this article, let’s explore the factors that determine a good hospital bed, to help you choose the ideal hospital bed for your loved one’s recovery.
At Opera Beds, we support carers, family members and users themselves in finding the best solution for their needs. Our free consultation lets our team provide tailored recommendations.
How Hospital Beds Help with Recovery
Majority of patients in hospital have never used a profiling bed before. As such, many will get used to using a hospital bed and find themselves a comfortable position easily. Hospital beds for home can be an integral part of care and recovery after leaving hospital.
The best hospital bed for you or a loved one can significantly improve the quality of care and contribute to a smoother and more successful recovery journey. Here’s a few ways how a hospital bed can help:
- Comfort and Rest: Hospital beds are designed with patient comfort in mind. They offer various positioning options, allowing your loved one to find the most comfortable and supportive position for rest. This comfort is crucial for their overall well-being and can aid in faster recovery.
- Safety: Hospital beds come equipped with safety features like side rails and adjustable height settings. These features help prevent accidents, falls, or injuries, especially if your loved one has mobility issues or is at risk of rolling out of bed.
- Medical Necessity: In some cases, a hospital bed may be medically necessary due to specific conditions or post-operative requirements. For example, individuals recovering from surgery may need to elevate their upper body or legs to promote healing and reduce swelling.
- Mobility and Independence: hospital beds are usually controlled by a wired handset, making it easier for the patient to adjust their position independently. This level of control can contribute to a sense of empowerment and improve the patient's overall quality of life during recovery.
- Facilitate Rehabilitation: Hospital beds can be adjusted to various positions to support physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises. This adaptability can be vital for individuals recovering from injuries or surgeries.
Top Features of a Hospital Bed
Hospital beds are designed with a range of features to enhance the comfort, safety, and overall well-being of patients during their recovery.
Below are some of the top features to consider when choosing a hospital bed for your loves one’s recovery.
Height Adjustment
Hospital beds typically have an adjustable height feature. This allows the whole bed to raise and lower to the desired height. By using the height adjustment feature, patients can get in and out of bed easier. Raising the bed's height can help patients rise to a seated or standing position with less strain on their muscles and joints.
When the bed is at an appropriate height, caregivers can perform tasks like changing bed linens, administering medications, and assisting with personal hygiene more comfortably. This reduces the risk of caregiver strain or injury and ensures efficient care delivery.
Hospital beds like our Signature Profiling Bed have a height range of 24.5cm-73 cm which allows easier access to the bed, and is better for carers who can tend to patients at waist level height.
Low Height Adjustment
Some profiling beds have a low height adjustment feature where the bed can be lowered closer to ground level. This is beneficial for users who may require a wheelchair, the lower height makes it easier to transfer themselves from the bed. It also helps users swing their legs into bed more easily, particularly if they have swelling or discomfort.
Back and Leg Rest Adjustment
Hospital beds with back and leg rest adjustment allow patients to find the most comfortable and supportive position for their specific needs. In doing so, users can adjust the bed’s position to align with their preferences, whether they require a slight recline or prefer an upright sitting position.
The personalised comfort achieved from a hospital bed promotes relaxation, helps reduce pain and facilitates a better night’s sleep – all of which are crucial elements of the recovery process.
There are also health benefits of choosing a hospital bed with back and leg rest adjustment. These include:
- Enhanced Respiratory Support: For individuals with respiratory conditions such as sleep apnoea or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), elevating the upper body can be highly beneficial. Backrest adjustment allows patients to raise their upper body, which can help open airways, improve breathing, and reduce symptoms.
- Reduced Swelling: After surgery or injury, swelling and oedema can be common issues. Leg rest adjustment permits patients to elevate their legs, which aids in reducing fluid retention and swelling. This elevation promotes healthy blood circulation and helps prevent complications associated with prolonged swelling, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
- Pressure Sore Prevention: Patients who spend extended periods in bed are at risk of developing pressure sores (bedsores). Being able to adjust the bed's position helps redistribute pressure on different areas of the body, reducing the likelihood of pressure ulcers. Leg rest adjustment, in particular, can alleviate pressure on the heels and lower legs, which are susceptible to pressure sores.
At Opera Beds, our collection of hospital beds features back and leg rest adjustment as standard. If you’d like help finding the best hospital bed, our team can guide you through the process. Start by getting in touch today.
Trendelenburg and Reverse Trendelenburg Positions
Some hospital beds offer Trendelenburg and reverse Trendelenburg positions, which involve tilting the entire bed to various angles. These positions can be beneficial for patients with specific medical needs, such as improving circulation or aiding with breathing difficulties.
Side Rails
Hospital beds often come equipped with side rails that can be raised and lowered. These rails provide added safety, preventing patients from accidentally falling out of bed and aiding in mobility when getting in and out of bed.
For example, our Signature Comfort Plus Profiling Bed features three-part split rails which double up as a grab rail. For those who have limited mobility or poor balance, choosing a bed with rails can help provide stability.
These features collectively contribute to creating a supportive and comfortable environment for patients during their recovery. The ability to customise the bed's position, ensure safety, and provide ease of care not only enhances the patient's physical well-being but also contributes to their overall recovery experience.
When choosing a hospital bed, it's essential to consider the specific needs of the patient and select a bed that aligns with their medical requirements and comfort preferences.
Other Factors to Consider
Aside from the features of a hospital bed, there are other contributing factors you may wish to consider. These include:
- Determining how quickly you need the bed – if your loved one has been discharged from hospital and ready to recover at home with their own hospital bed, you may wish to research delivery times. Depending on their care plan, often you will require a hospital bed ready so they can be discharged. If you require a bed quickly, we provide next-day delivery across a wide range of beds.
- What size hospital bed is required? Hospital beds vary in size and it’s important to assess which size is best. If your loved one is recovering and requires extra room on the bed for physiotherapy or rehabilitation, wide hospital beds are a good solution.
- Will the hospital bed need to be installed? Depending on the model of the hospital bed you may wish to consider having it professionally installed. Some providers offer this service, at Opera Beds our home install service includes a full-handover demonstration and removal of packaging.
How Opera Can Support Finding the Best Hospital Bed
Buying a hospital bed can be challenging and daunting, especially when choosing on behalf of someone else. At Opera Beds, we make the process as simple as possible by starting with a 1-1 consultation. From there our team provides suitable options, offering their tailored advice and support. See what our customers are saying and why we’re rated ‘excellent’ on Trustpilot.
Start your Opera Beds journey today and get in touch with our team.
