Hospital beds can lower and raise the foot and head portions of the frame. Adjustable beds independently elevate these areas – either the head or foot areas can be raised, or head and feet can be raised together to create a contour like a recliner at a full incline. It can also be created at half the incline elevation to create a comfortable sleeping position.
While we continue to ponder the topic, there is one question that will always hit us. Is an adjustable bed the same as a hospital bed?
The answer lies in the comfort levels of both these beds. Hospital beds do not provide the same comfort as an adjustable bed.
Why are Adjustable Beds Important?
While watching TV or eating in bed, it is more comfortable to have the head elevated. This is a more comfortable position with less strain on the cartilages of the spine near the neck area.
Many cardiac and pulmonary diseases make it difficult to sleep in a flat position. When the head is elevated, one can breathe more easily than when the head is in a flat position. Also, the circulation improves when the legs are elevated.
Aged people and those with medical conditions may have difficulties while rolling over in a straight position, getting on and off the bed, along with other bed mobility issues.
One important point to mention is that the mattress that is used with the bed also enhances the overall comfort and flexibility.
There are several health reasons to sleep in an adjustable bed – in a zero gravity position, with both the legs and the lower torso elevated, is known to improve blood circulation by making it easier for the blood to flow back to the heart.
For added security, rails can be added to the adjustable beds, which often come in half rails and are placed at the upper part of the bed to help with the bed mobility and sit to stand transfers. Bed rails can also be placed at the base of the bed to allow more leverage during movements.
Today’s modern adjustable beds provide a variety of adjustments to allow the user to elevate the head and foot sections of the bed to find positional comfort for a variety of health ailments.
Another psychological benefit would be getting rid of the negative stigma attached to hospital beds.
Adjustable beds vs. Hospital beds - Based on the Uses
Adjustable beds are marketed for conventional use among customers. Electric hospital beds for in-home care, on the other hand, prioritize features that meet the needs of the patients recovering from an injury or those who need to spend more time in bed.
What makes these more appropriate is the adaptability to provide more comfortable support and enable the caregivers to deliver quality care.
Are There Any Visible Size Differences Between The Two Classifications of Beds?
Hospital beds are meant for single occupancy. All they can have more of is some extra width and additional foot sections.
Adjustable beds are more conventional, fitting the traditional household linen size. They come in full, queen and king sized widths.
What About The Inclination Angles of Both These Beds?
Medical conditions like chronic pain and arthritis would make it so difficult to get in and out of bed. Both the adjustable beds and hospital beds have adjustable frames that allow the patient to make foot movements and bring the bed to a comfortable level for easy entry and exit.
Hospital beds, on the other hand, have an adjustable height that allows the patient to be lowered and lifted based on the need to give the patient comfort. This height adjustment also helps to decrease the pressure on the backs of the care givers who have to lift the user.
Differences in the Design?
The evolution of the care mode and subsequent design changes have made the homecare beds more comfortable and more residential.
The beds these days are not much different from each other in terms of their design. Now patients, who are required to get in-house care, do not have to sacrifice their comfortable living environment.
Electric hospital beds now blend advanced safety features with a beautiful home-like aesthetic.
In a Nutshell
Improper bedding contributes to high levels of hospital-acquired infections and subjects patients to various degrees of discomfort.
It is all the more important to have a correctly made bed with clean and dry sheets that do not have creases and wrinkles. A correctly made bed will help to reduce pressure sores or bedsores.
To learn more about hospital beds and adjustable beds, visit our page at: https://bmec.asia/my/nursing/
More Information
- Carolyn Csanyi
- SonderCare
- EasyRest
