Should I Get My Loved One A Hospital Bed To Use At Home?

Is your loved one about to get discharged from the hospital? Or have you noticed your aging parent or grandparent starting to seem weak and prefer to stay in bed than move around? It may seem daunting, but this might be the time to consider getting a hospital bed for them at home.

A hospital bed at home? Hmm...

Hospital beds generally are thought of as uncomfortable and some superstitious beliefs might see it as a taboo or ‘pantang’ to have it at home. But when you put aside superstition, it becomes apparent that having a hospital bed at home is necessary because hospital beds can provide great and practical health care benefits for both the caregiver and the patient.

Here are five most important benefits of a hospital bed:

1. Patient Safety

All hospital beds comes with side railings that are collapsible to prevent accidents from happening. This comes in very handy for patients living with dementia or other cognitive impairments that could cause them to unknowingly roll off the bed and causing severe injuries like bone fractures or concussions. It also acts as a grip for patients to hold onto if they decide to sit at the edge of the bed.

2. Assist Caregiver

Caring for a person who is bedridden can be physically tiring for the caregivers, especially if the patient requires 24 hour care. The most common problem caregivers’ face is having backaches from always lifting the patient to reposition them or transfer them off the bed onto wheelchairs. Having a hospital bed enables them to adjust the patient’s lying position and bed height for better caregiving without straining their bodies.

3. Improve Blood Circulation

When a bedridden person stays in the same position for a long period of time without shifting, blood flow does not get circulated properly and pressure sets in on certain areas of the body which often leads to the development of bedsores ‘also known as pressure sores'. By adjusting the patient's position on the hospital bed, these changes allow for movement as well as periodic change to the pressure points on the body, thereby improving the patient’s blood circulation and preventing the risk of developing bedsores.

4. Improve Breathing

Patients who have breathing difficulties can benefit from sleeping with the backrest slightly elevated. By slightly elevating the backrest, it will open breathing passages to improve sleep problems due to illnesses such as those heart diseases, acid reflux, migrains and congestion problems, as well as sleep apnea.

5. Adjustable Positions

The most common functions a hospital bed possess are elevating backrest and legs and adjustable bed height. By elevating the backrest, it helps to make the patient feel more comfortable and allows them to enjoy eating, reading, having conversations and to watch TV while on the hospital bed. Elevating the legs even by 6 to 12 inches above the heart will take pressure off the leg veins. Plus, it promotes the flow of blood out of the leg veins, allowing blood flow to move away from the legs and course throughout the entire body. Lastly, adjusting the bed height helps the caregiver to provide care without straining their backs and helps the patient to easily get off the bed at an appropriate height, preventing the risk of falling.

Conclusion:

Hospital beds are great tools that help keep your loved one comfortable at home and there are choices to choose from nowadays. You should seek advise from your loved one's doctors and nurses if you have trouble making the decision. Patients on manual beds are fully dependent on their caregivers to make the suitable adjustments to meet their desired comfort levels while an electric bed allows the patient to still preserve a sense of independence by controlling the adjustments of the bed themselves by remote control without the need to call for help.