Choosing the Right Home-Care Bed

It’s no secret that while our population grows older and faces more medical challenges, hospitals and other treatment facilities are oftentimes understaffed and overpopulated. A lack of resources in these treatment facilities means that potential patients must look elsewhere to receive care. Staying at home is an attractive option to many, as it allows them to stay in an environment they are comfortable in and familiar with. When choosing this route, it is important to make sure that there is appropriate treatment equipment at the person’s home.

Probably the most important piece of at home-care equipment is the bed. This is where the individual will likely spend the majority of his or her time. In order to receive high-quality care, like what one would receive in a hospital, at-home care beds should be automatic. Electric beds offer ease of movement and a high range of functionality to make both the patient and caretaker comfortable. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing the right automatic home-care bed:

• Consider the needs of the patient. Do their heads and/ or legs need to be adjusted? Would it be preferable to have a tilt function on the bed? An electric home-care bed can be outfitted with multiple actuators and lifting columns to provide different kinds of movement.
• Consider the weight of the patient. If they are overweight or obese, they will need an electric bed with stronger actuators that have a higher load capacity. There are many automation options that accommodate the bariatric population.
• Consider the comfort and accessibility of the caretaker. In order to improve both the lives of the person receiving the care and the person giving the care, it is preferable to have a control panel on the bed itself. This allows the caretaker to easily control the movements of the bed according to the individual’s desires. In addition, controls can be operated by the individual themselves.

These suggestions will help provide you with a framework to choose the right home-care bed for yourself or your loved one. In today’s day and age, and with modern technology, at-home treatment can be just as effective as facility care.