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A manually adjustable bed is generally hydraulically and / or mechanically adjusted. This may require the winding of a handle to adjust the bed. It is important to consider a person's ability to manage these adjustments and to trial a range of beds prior to purchase.
*Bed adjustments include bed tilt, bed height, backrest angle, legrest angle and knee break. The bed may have a steel, stainless steel or wooden construction with a powder / epoxy or nylon finish. Many manually adjustable beds have the appearance of a hospital bed.
*The bed may provide the following advantages to the user:
- Enable a person to get in and out of bed with greater ease such as when the backrest is raised and / or when the bed is positioned at a suitable ideal height;
- Enable a person to sit up in bed or to be positioned more comfortably;
- Enable a person to be positioned to assist a carer;
- Enable a person to be positioned as requested by a medical practitioner, e.g. legs elevated.
Prior to purchase the following additional points may be considered:
- Whether the bed can be customised to suit individual needs, if required;
- Suitability of the mattress supplied;
- For those beds bigger than a single bed size, headrest angle adjustments can be as one, or split for two people. It may be worth considering joining two beds, as there can be complications with the sheets being untucked when one person sits up and the other is lying
down;
- Does the position of the hinges match the required position for sitting up or for the knee break?
- Does the bed raise and lower to the required heights?
- Ease of operating the winding handle or depressing the gas assisted hydraulic foot pumps (foot pumps may require one press, or multiple pumps to achieve a full raise of the bed);
- Backrest and knee break may raise together, rather than independently. Is this suitable?
- Is there enough access under the bed for a mobile hoist if required? Note that the clearance under the bed changes as the bed raises and lowers;
- If a mobile hoist is required, can it lift high enough and reach far enough over the bed to lay the person in a comfortable position?
- Consider load capacity of the bed;
- Ease of attaching or provision of bed rails, if required;
- Provision of a quick release lowering of the backrest, in the case of an emergency (ie. to allow CPR to be carried out);
- Provision of rubber buffers on the bed corners - to reduce wall damage if the bed is to be moved regularly;
- Provision of extension boards, which increase the length of the bed if required;
- Provision of head and footboards which can be removed for ease of changing the bed;
- Provision of bed rails - removable, fold down;
- Able to be dismantled for storage;
- If independent bed adjustment is required, an electrically adjustable bed may be considered.
Features
BED CONSTRUCTION
Base and frame
The bed may have a steel or wooden construction. The base may be wooden slats, wooden with ventilation holes, weld mesh or sheet steel with air holes.
Castors
Size and material of castors, with foot operated locks. Some beds have a steering lock which, when applied, allows the bed to be pushed in a straight line. This may benefit such applications as in hospitals or hostels. Determine ease of moving the bed, if required. This may be difficult over thick pile carpets.
Bed sizes
Single bed size is standard, but other sizes may be available (King single, Double, Queen and King).
Choice of mattress
A mattress, which can accommodate the different positions of the adjustable bed, is required. An inner spring, latex rubber or foam mattress is commonly supplied. Consider suitability of the mattress cover (waterproof, fire retardant, 2 - 3 way stretch, breathable) and whether a pressure reduction or comfort mattress overlay may be needed at the time of purchase or in the future.
BED ADJUSTMENTS
A manually adjustable bed generally offers:
Height adjustable (may be referred to as Hi Lo)
The height of the bed base is raised or lowered. This may assist the person get in and out of the bed by positioning the bed at a height suitable for the individual. Some beds may go down to nearly floor level, but they may not rise as high as required. It is important to note that the raising / lowering mechanism is usually located underneath the bed and this may restrict the access of equipment such as a hoist or over bed table.
Tilt
This is when the whole bed tilts so that the person's feet are higher than their head (Trendelenburg Tilt) or in the opposite direction (Reverse Trendelenburg).
Backrest angle
The backrest can be altered from flat to nearly 90 degrees (upright position). This allows the person to sit up in bed, to lie in a slightly upright position or it may assist a person transferring out of bed by raising their upper body.
Knee break
The bed base angles upward under the knee area, this helps prevent the person sliding down the bed when they are sitting in a more upright position. When the backrest is in the upright position and the knee break is at its greatest angle, check there is a flat area for the buttocks
to be supported, rather than the individually being suspended in a 'V' between the backrest and knee break.
Legrest
The foot end of the bed elevates, instead of under the knees only.
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