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. 

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.

This guide contrasts the differences between hospital beds and gives you honest feedback from customers. It also uncovers frequently asked questions, cautions you on important features you must consider before purchasing, and recommends the best products. 

What is a hospital bed for home? 

A hospital bed for home care has features that cater to the needs of people who are recovering from an injury or who have to spend a lot of time in bed. Their adjustability makes them more appropriate than a standard bed for providing comfortable support and enabling caregivers to deliver quality care.

Features to Consider Before Purchasing

Temporary vs Permanent 

If a user is going to be cared for in bed for an extended amount of time, or who spends more than 15 hours a day in bed, a full-electric home hospital bed will provide long-term comfort and durability while minimizing physical strain in caregivers. They are also the most expensive models. Manual and semi-electric beds require more caregiver effort and don’t provide as much independence for patients, but they cost less and can be more appropriate for short-term use.

Mobility of Patient

Patient mobility has a significant impact on the kind of home hospital bed should be chosen. A highly adjustable bed, either electric or semi-electric, is best for users who are unsteady on their feet and are at risk of falling while transferring in and out of bed, who can’t reposition themselves without assistance, and can’t get in and out of bed safely without the height being adjusted. If a patient can get in and out of bed without assistance and is steady while standing, a highly adjustable bed might not be needed. A more economical choice would be a manually adjusted bed.

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.

The hospital bed medical cot bed 3 crank hospital bed for patient

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.

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.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.