The Ultimate Buying Guide for Home Care Beds: Everything You Need to Know

When most people think of a home care bed, they imagine the plain, metal frame often found in hospital rooms. However, there is another type of bed that can be just as beneficial for patients receiving care at home: the home care bed.

What Is A Home Care Bed, And Where Is It Used?

A home care bed is a bed that is specifically designed for home care use. Home care beds are similar to hospital beds but have certain features that make them more suitable for home care use.

For example, home care beds are often easier to transfer in and out of, and they typically have more adjustable positions than hospital beds. In addition, home care beds usually come with unique features, such as built-in scales and bedside rails, that make them more convenient for home care use.

A home care bed is also known by other names such as nursing bed, adjusting bed, hospital bed with toilet, and home use hospital bed.

Why Should You Consider a Home Use Bed?

Home care beds provide various features that make life easier for patients and caregivers. For example, many home care beds come with height-adjustable head and foot sections, making it easier to get in and out of bed. Other features include built-in storage areas for easy access to items such as reading material or medical supplies.

 In addition, home care beds often have built-in safety features, such as side rails and brakes, which can help to prevent falls.

For patients who require a higher level of care, home care beds can also be equipped with unique mattress systems that help to prevent pressure ulcers. Ultimately, home care beds offer a variety of benefits that can make life easier for patients and caregivers. 

The Common Types of Home Care Bed

Home care beds can be classified based on their power usage or the needs they meet

These are the types of home nursing beds according to power:

Electric Home Care Bed

The Electric Home Care Bed is a bed that can be plugged into a power outlet. It has controls that allow the head and foot sections to be adjusted.

This makes it possible for patients to get comfortable in bed and adjust their position without asking for help from a caregiver.

The height of the bed can also be adjusted. A pulley structure with steel connections is utilized in full-electric beds to securely raise or lower the elevation of patients who require the bed to be lowered so that they can get up quickly without straining, as well as care providers who want the bed higher for feeding, medication, or other reasons.

While this bed is advantageous to the patient and the caregiver, it is more pricey than the other. 

Semi-Electric Home Care Bed

A semi-electric bed has electric motors on the head and foot adjustments, but not on the height control. That implies that the head and foot of the bed may be adjusted using the electric controls, however, they must turn a hand crank to change the height as they would with a manual bed.

This bed is less expensive than an electric home bed but costs more than a manual one.

Manual Home Care Bed

A manual home care bed is a bed that has cranks for adjusting the height of the bed and has no controls for adjusting the head and foot sections.

The height crank is also operated by hand and requires a caregiver.

Although this bed type is the cheapest option, it is the most stressful for the patient and the caregiver.

These are the types of home nursing beds according to the needs they meet:

Ultra-low Home Care Bed

As the name suggests, an ultra-low home care bed is a bed that has a very low height. It is designed for elderly patients, Alzheimer's patients, or any other class of patients who are at risk of falls.

Ultra-low beds often have padded side rails that can be lowered or raised. In addition, ultra-low beds may also have extra padding around the edges of the bed to provide additional protection for patients.

Bariatric home care bed Bed

Bariatric beds are explicitly designed for obese or overweight patients. These beds are extra-wide and have reinforced construction to support patients up to 150 kg or higher. In addition, bariatric beds often have special features such as built-in scales and trapeze bars. These help to measure and monitor the patient's weight and allow him to adjust positions on the bed.

If you or a loved one is dealing with obesity, talk to your doctor about whether a bariatric bed would be a good option.

Power Rotating HomeCare Bed

The Power Rotating HomeCare Bed can help patients sit up, lie down, and raise their feet like other powered beds. It also has the unique ability to rotate the mattress on the frame to put the patient in a safe, easy-to-get-out position.

Dual side rails give patients a safe place to hold on when moving, and both can be lowered out of the way when they aren't needed. The bed is easy to move around because it has wheels that can swivel and lock, and the central brake system helps keep it safe when it is in one place.

Home Care Bed with Toilet

A home care bed with a toilet is used for patients who cannot move from their bed to a bathroom. This bed type includes a toilet seat and a bedpan attached to the bed. This type of bed can also be used for pregnant patients or with a disability that prevents them from moving.

Factors To Consider Before Buying The Right Home Care Bed

Here are the things to consider when buying a home care bed:

Mobility

When choosing a home care bed, it's essential to consider the patient's mobility. A manual or semi-electric bed might be good enough if the patient can walk for brief periods and attend to their basic needs.

However, if the patient is mainly bed-ridden, then an electric bed with an inbuilt toilet would be preferable for easing the strain on the patient and the caregiver.

Special Needs

The particular needs of the patient are also vital to consider. It would not be safe to get a home care bed with a great height for an elderly patient or any other patient at risk of falling. In the same way, an obese patient would need a bariatric bed that can support their weight.

If you are unsure about what type of home care bed to get, it is best to consult with a healthcare professional who can assess the patient's needs and make a recommendation.

Temporary vs. Permanent

It's also important to consider whether the home care bed is needed temporarily or permanently. A manual or semi-electric bed might be regarded as only required for a short period. You may even look into renting the appropriate bed. However, if the bed is needed long-term, it might be worth purchasing a fully electric one.

Position

When choosing a home care bed for home care, one of the most important factors is the bed's positioning capability. Positioning is essential for both comfort and healing.

The Trendelenburg position involves lying supine, or flat on the back, with the feet elevated above the head and the torso tilted forward at an angle of 15–30 degrees.

Like the Trendelenburg position, the reverse Trendelenburg position places the body in a prone position on an incline, but the head is elevated this time.

The patient position, known as Fowler's, has the patient situated in a semi-sitting position with their knees either bent or straight.

Putting a home care bed in the chair position involves first raising the head and foot of the bed and then using the Trendelenburg function to tilt the bed at an angle.

The patient or their caregiver can adjust the speed of the bed's transition into the seated position, which can be done with minimal movement required from the patient.

Accessories

When considering purchasing a home care bed, accessories such as I.V poles and home care bed mattresses should be considered. I.V poles provide a convenient way to administer fluids and medications to patients without having to move them from their beds.

Some mattresses are designed to give patients firm support and pressure relief, which are essential for proper healing. In addition, both of these accessories can help to make the home care bed more comfortable for the patient, which is necessary for a successful recovery. By considering all of these factors, you can be sure that you are choosing the best possible bed for your needs.

Prices & Budget

Buying a home care bed is a big decision. Not only do you need to find the right bed for your specific needs, but you also need to consider price and budget.

Home care beds can be expensive. Depending on the type of bed and the features you need, prices can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Setting a budget before shopping is essential, so you don't overspend.

Whatever your budget, you would do well not to compromise comfort, needs, and quality for the price. This would save you more expenses in the future anyway.

Home Care Bed Prices Guide

There are a variety of home care beds with a varied range of prices. Some of them are listed below:

●      Medline Home Care Electric Bed: $799

●      A-176-1 Plus Electric Home Care Nursing Bed:$1, 054

●      Invacare Heavy-Duty Bariatric Homecare Bed:$2100

●      Hill-Rom P1900 TotalCare: $3,699

●      AG-W001 Ultra-Low Home Care Bed: $1,761

Where To Buy The Right Home Care Beds?

At Medwish.com, we are proud to be a leading supplier of home care beds and other medical equipment. We offer a wide range of products at wholesale prices, making us the perfect partner for caregivers looking to save money on their home care needs.

We have a team of expert customer service representatives who are always available to help with any questions or concerns. We are committed to providing caregivers with the highest quality products at the best prices. MedWish offers a wide variety of home care beds, including adjustable beds, home care beds, and bariatric beds.

When you choose Medwish, you can be confident that you are getting the best possible value for your home care needs. Contact us today to learn more about our home care beds and how we can help you save money on your next purchase.