It is critical to ensure that your care home patients get a good night’s sleep so they stay physically and mentally well.
High-quality profile beds provide long-term aid to persons with restricted mobility, the elderly, and the disabled by giving a secure environment to relax, rest and sleep soundly.
However, because there are so many profile beds on the market, it can be difficult for care home procurement staff to know what to look for in one.
Here are five of the top tips for selecting a profiling bed for your care home, compiled by the specialists at the Wippet healthcare marketplace.
Contents
Step 1: Think about who will use the bed
When choosing a profiling bed for a resident, you must consider their medical needs and personal preferences.
Medical needs
When a resident has a medical issue, sleeping can be pretty stressful since they constantly battle to find a comfortable resting position.
Profiling beds assist with this by allowing the caregiver to adjust the resident’s sleeping position in up to four sections, so selecting the proper bed for the resident’s condition can considerably enhance their comfort during the night.
Profiling beds can be used for sleeping assistance for residents suffering from the following conditions:
General medical concerns: including back pain, fluid retention, and respiratory difficulties. A profiling bed assists the resident in finding a suitable resting position to sleep.
Breathing difficulties: such as people suffering from asthma or heart disease, who may be unable to lie flat on their back safely or comfortably. A profiling bed allows them to sleep at a slight elevation, enabling them to breathe correctly which reduces anxiety.
Nerve problems: some residents may develop trapped nerves if they remain in one position for an extended period. They can be moved to a more comfortable position by the profiling bed, and some beds now have massage capabilities to aid nerve control.
Disability issues: profiling beds can make it easier for persons with limited mobility to get in and out of bed. Either by elevating the resident to a position where they can push themselves up or by lowering the bed closer to the ground.
Many beds also feature locations where hoists can be attached, allowing the user to be moved out of bed and into a wheelchair or other mobility device.
Obesity issues: a larger individual may require a specially built profiling bed or a double profiling bed to keep them comfortable.
Incontinence issues: a person suffering from incontinence can be an infection control hazard if the bed they’re sleeping on is challenging to clean. In these instances, select a profiling bed that is easy to clean by not being composed of absorbent material or featuring crevices that could retain dirt.
Personal needs
While medical concerns must take precedence when selecting a profiling bed, it is also critical to consider your resident’s personal needs.
If a resident’s requirements are not addressed, and they do not feel comfortable in their surroundings, they are far more likely to feel nervous or agitated, and they are much less likely to obtain a good night’s sleep.
As a result, you should treat a care home resident’s bedroom as if it were their own home and make it as comfortable as possible.
Many profile beds appear less medical and more like something a person may have in their own home.
They frequently have cloth side panels and plush headboards with trendy designs that would not seem inappropriate on the high street.
By selecting a more homely-looking profile bed, you can make your residents feel much more at ease in your care.
Step 2: Consider where it’s going
When selecting a profiling bed, examine the bedroom arrangement in which it will be installed.
How big do you need?
The size of profiling beds varies greatly, with electric beds frequently being larger than manual beds because of the electrical components.
Before making any purchases, measure the bed’s space to guarantee the one you’ve picked will fit where you intend it to.
Do you have the correct electrical connections?
If you choose an electric profiling bed, ensure it is next to an electrical socket so that it can be powered. If there isn’t a nearby socket, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of either:
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Installing a new socket in a suitable location
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Running an extension cable to the required position safely within the room
If either of these is unpractical, go for a manual profiling bed – only if this meets the requirements of the resident and care team.
Does the bed suit the decor?
While not the most critical factor, you should strive to select a profiling bed that complements the aesthetics of the resident’s bedroom.
For example, a bright red material bed in an otherwise neutral space can feel intimidating and stressful, whilst a clinical bed in a cosy environment can ruin the mood.
Step 3: Think about what features the bed needs
Because of the large variety of profiling beds available, you have many distinct feature options to choose from.
Some beds include all of these functions as standard, while others let you add them as optional extras, and others just have one or two.
Make a list of the attributes you require to construct a shortlist of beds.
Remote control: most electric profiling beds have a control panel, although more current models feature a remote control option. These can be useful for carers to have control over the bed from anywhere in the room or enable residents to have control without reaching for a panel.
High-low bed: many profiling beds include a variable height range, allowing the caregiver to raise or lower the bed to provide the user easy access. Height-adjustable beds are commonly referred to as ‘High-low’ (or hi-lo) beds in the care business.
If the user is in a wheelchair, ensure that the bed can be adjusted low enough to allow for easy transfers. The user should also be able to lie at a height that enables the caregiver to have easy access.
Head and footboards: these are a helpful safety element if the bed is to be used in a fully tilted position since they prevent the user from falling out of the bed head or feet first. They also add a more homey sense to the bed.
Castor wheels: these are typical on most profiling beds to improve manoeuvrability. Look for wheels that can be locked individually using brakes to protect the bed from moving.
Side rails: although protective side rails are generally not necessary, they can be a vital safety feature if the user is prone to falls or confusion or if the bed is elevated above its minimum height regularly.
To avoid interfering with transfers, ensure that the rails may be lowered to below the mattress level.
Bed bumpers: another useful safety element is bed bumpers, which protect the user on all sides of the bed. These are beneficial for dementia patients who may shift around a lot during the night.
Emergency power: in a power outage, the mattress must be lowered to a level where the user can quickly get out of bed. As a result, look for beds with a battery that can provide power in an emergency.
Installation: some beds are sold ready to build, while others include expert assembly and installation.
Many self-assembly beds are simple to install and require no tools, but customers should check that they can use the bed properly.
Hygiene: if a resident has incontinence or other disorders that provide an infection control risk, a more sanitary profile bed may be required. Look for a bed with few joints or seams and smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces that won’t retain dirt or moisture in these circumstances.
Step 4: Consider how strong the bed needs to be
Because each resident has a unique body, ensure that the profiling bed’s maximum user weight is appropriate for the intended user.
If you’re looking for a bed for a larger or heavier person, you should probably look into a bariatric profiling bed.
These are designed of more durable materials to suit larger users comfortably and safely.
Step 5: Where to purchase a profiling bed
The Wippet healthcare marketplace offers a wide selection of profiling beds for care homes made to the current industry standards.
Shop our range of furniture and furnishing, including profiling beds, or browse our more comprehensive range of items for care homes such as housekeeping or medical supplies.
