How to Choose a Hospital Bed for Home Use

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.

What Are The Different Types of Hospital Beds?

There are 3 types of hospital beds: manual, semi-electric, and full-electric. Below, we give you a breakdown of each bed and our top-recommended product.

Manual Hospital Beds

Manual hospital beds are the least expensive models, with fewer features than semi-electric or full-electric options. A manual hospital bed requires a caregiver to make adjustments via a hand crank, making this type of bed most appropriate in situations where it won’t be necessary to make frequent adjustments.

Pros

• Least expensive type
• Good choice if frequent adjustments aren’t necessary

Cons

• Potential caregiver strain from making manual adjustments
• Not as many position choices as electric beds

Semi-Electric Hospital Beds

A semi-electric hospital bed is a good choice for someone who has good enough balance that it is not necessary to adjust the height of the bed to transfer on and off. This style of bed uses electric and manual adjustments, with the head and foot sections usually adjusted electrically while the height is adjusted with a manual crank.

Pros

• Easy to make heat and foot positioning adjustments
• Lower cost for the feature of head and foot adjustability than a full-electric home hospital bed
• User confidence and independence is supported with user-adjustability

Cons

• Must rely on a caregiver to make height adjustments
• Using a hand crank puts a strain on caregivers

Full Electric Hospital Beds

The height, head, and feet adjustments are made with the push of a button on a full-electric hospital bed. If a patient is able to control the bed positioning, it decreases reliance on caregiver assistance and increases independence and confidence. If a caregiver isn’t close by, most full-electric beds have a feature that locks the bed in position so a patient can’t accidentally move it into a position that could be dangerous.

Pros

• No strain on caregivers to adjust the bed
• When allowed, user can adjust the bed without assistance
• Addresses multiple conditions and positioning needs (sleep, circulation, skin issues, aches and pains)

Cons:

• Highest price point

What Are Specialty Beds?

Specialty hospital beds are specialized beds that are designed to meet very specific patient needs. Some specialty beds address fall risks, bariatric patient weight, and non-clinical designs.

Sleep to Stand Bed

Although not hospital beds, sleep-to-stand beds have some of the same positioning options as hospital beds. Sometimes, they are referred to as sit to stand beds or adjustable beds. They provide comfortable support for a lot of the things a person would use a home hospital bed for, like sleeping, reading, watching tv, or just relaxing. They look more like standard beds and can be ordered in larger sizes to accommodate two sleepers. The less-institutional feel is attractive for many users. There are a few basic models with manually adjustable frames, but they are not used in caregiving settings. By far, most adjustable beds are fully electric and some can take users from lying down to standing up for easy transfers. They are a good choice for people who seek some of the features of a hospital bed but want the look and feel and sizing options of a traditional bed.

Pros

• Adjustability can prevent falls during transfers
• Comfortable and supportive, with positioning customized for the user
• Choice of sizes

Cons

• Need to buy special mattress
• More expensive than a traditional bed without all the features of a hospital bed

Low Bed

Low beds are ideal for people who have a higher risk of falling, because they reduce the distance between the bed and floor, decreasing the risk of injury from a fall. These beds make it easier for users to get in and out of bed, which helps minimize the strain on a caregiver during transfers. Usually the height is adjusted electrically, and positioning adjustability includes elevating and reclining the head and feet sections, and allowing for ergonomic lying down and sitting.

Pros

• Reduces caregiver strain
• Minimizes the risk of an injury from a fall
• Electric height adjustability
• Positions can be adjusted in several models

Cons

• Most low beds have an institutional look and feel

Bariatric Hospital Bed

The weight capacity of standard hospital beds is between 350 and 450 pounds. Bariatric hospital beds, which are also called heavy-duty beds, can be found able to accommodate users weighing up to 1,000 pounds. Along with heavy-duty construction and larger sizes, with widths ranging as wide as 54 inches, bariatric hospital beds feature height adjustability and can be ordered with safety rails. A bariatric bed, especially for someone who can’t independently reposition in a smaller bed, will support a larger patient in comfort and dignity.

Pros

• Electric adjustability allows patient to reposition independently without putting a strain on a caregiver
• Created specifically for patients who would not be safe or comfortable in a standard sized bed
• Durable, heavy-duty construction

Cons

• Beds don’t always come with a mattress, so a special bariatric mattress will have to be ordered
• Bariatric beds are cumbersome to move

Deluxe Hospital Bed

Deluxe hospital beds are built for long-term, heavy-duty use, meeting the needs of acute-care patients and caregivers. Side rails, mitigated entrapment risk, and exit alarms focus on patient safety. User-friendly controls include a nurse panel, and patients can adjust the bed position without assistance. Benefits of a deluxe bed include ease treatment delivery provided by the maneuverability, electric height adjustability, and the list of accessories that are available with this type of bed.

Pros

• User-friendly patient controls
• Safety features reduce risk of unsafe exit and patient entrapment
• Constructed for heavy duty long-term use
• Highly adjustable to facilitate care and treatment

Cons

• High price point
• Look and feel of clinical medical equipment

Residential Design Bed

Although not technically hospital beds, residential design beds have hospital bed functionality in a bed you’d find at home. The ability to adjust this bed’s height and the option to install side rails make it easier for users to get out of bed than with a standard bed. The electric adjustability helps relieve pressure points and combat the development of bed sores, while the ergonomic positioning provides support and comfort. They can be ordered with waterproof mattress covers that contribute to a clinically sanitized environment at home.

Pros

• Styled like furniture rather than medical equipment
• Functionality of a hospital bed
• Decreases fall risk, allows for more user independence
• Adjustable for individualized comfort

Cons

• Heavier than a regular bed
• Usually, does not accommodate standard mattress

Fully-Enclosed Safety Bed

Safety beds, although not hospital beds, do offer features that address special needs and medical conditions and support sleep in a secure space. Enclosed by walls, fabric, or rails, in sizes appropriate for children and adults. Safety beds protect from falls, prevent unassisted exits, provide easy caregiver access, and protect from entrapment or entanglement. They have features like padding to protect users who have seizures, access ports for medical equipment, and support for those with sensory processing disorders who benefit from a completely enclosed space. They come in fixed heights or with manual or powered height adjustability, and mattresses ranging from air to gel to articulating. There are portable models that are easy to take along while traveling.

Pros

• Provide caregiver peace of mind by preventing wandering and bed falls
• Access for supportive medical equipment
• Many models to choose from to fit individual needs
• Users with sensory processing disorders appreciate the calming enclosed space

Cons

• Can take up a lot of room, so measuring the available room space is important
• Not all models are conducive to smooth wheelchair transfers

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.

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