Bed & Product Options for the Disabled Person

April 23, 2019 Thomas W. 7 Comments

If you’re disabled or are a caretaker of someone who is, it can be frustrating to find the right equipment that can help with the daily challenges you have to face. Things such as being able to get in and out of bed, having the ability to sleep or being able to stay in bed without falling off and rolling the mattress can be hard.

This objective of this guide is to help create your bedding arrangements and sleeping more comfortable by introducing you to bedding products that will make being handicapped somewhat simpler.

Let us take a look at a number of the mattress and bedding products available in the marketplace.

Alternative Bed Types

Sometimes, conventional bed types won’t work for some reasons so here are some alternatives that could have the ability to assist you to sleep and live more comfortably.

Adjustable Bed

Beds are available in many forms and shapes, but their primary draw is they can help individuals with restricted mobility to achieve the body position they need without any effort. An adjustable bed can generally be set in a horizontal position for sleep and then other alternative positions.

One advantage of an adjustable bed is they allow people the ability to sit up who cannot get out of bed and into a chair. Since beds are electrical, this frees caretakers in the task of having to lift the person into the desired position. The person in bed can easily watch TV, read, write, or use a computer as they could from a chair. The majority of the time adjustable bed is more comfortable than standard recliners.

Another feature of beds is the foot of the bed can be raised. People suffering from circulation problem get benefit from this bed because their legs can be raised above their heart. This helps the blood to drain back into the body and may reduce pain.

If your body position is essential and you will need to have the ability to change without physical effort on your part, an adjustable mattress would be an excellent investment. It’s especially helpful for those people who are bed-ridden and will be spending a section of the day lying on a mattress. For those who have a spine injury, the various available places in an adjustable bed can help you get a comfortable system to sleep.

Turning Bed

A turning bed is somewhat like the cousin to the adjustable bed. Its objective is to move the individual so that they aren’t currently lying in one position for too long. Many medical problems can unwittingly develop from merely being in precisely the exact same position for hours, but a lot of people with disability can’t properly move into a new position.

The main advantage of turning beds is that they can be a tool in relieving the possibility of bed sores. Since they tilt from side to side at specific periods, the individual can roll over automatically, and also plenty of pressure is relieved.

The man who’s lying in them can also control turning beds. Whenever someone has a limited ability to roll up themselves, this can give them a certain degree of freedom. It makes it simpler than calling a caregiver to manually adjust them every time they begin to experience pressure and distress.

Such beds work great for anyone who has back pain or minimal muscle tone. The fact that many of these beds may also be programmed to turn automatically at set times really can help maintain comfort even when an individual has a propensity to slide in and out of consciousness and is not aware enough to control the bed manually.

credit: www.pro-bed.com, USA vendor

Editors Note: We have had a couple of people ask about ‘turning beds.’ After some study, it does appear they are more available in Australia and the UK. If you’re in Australia or the UK, you’ll find lots of options. People in the USA may have a little more difficult time finding this kind of bed. There appears to be just one brand available here.

Low Profile Bed

A low profile bed basically means that the bed’s frame is reduced to the ground than is usually the case. The specific height of the mattress may vary, but usually, they’ll lie less than about 10 inches (25 cm) above the floor. They are adjustable in height, like the kind one may see in hospitals. The idea is that individuals who have confined movement can have an easier time going safely in and out of bed.

One advantage of this is that it overcomes the influence on the joints in contrast to a bed that’s too large and generates a strain when “landing” on the ground. An individual can move cautiously step from this bed, and it allows for a slow descent, also, to close to no trouble when crawling into bed.

The significant advantage, however, is that low profile beds will tend to cause less harm if the sleeper were to fall out of the bed accidentally. With just a few inches of space, the effect is quite low, particularly if other security measures are taken into consideration.

Low profile beds are an excellent option for people that are weak and can’t afford the harm of falling when getting from bed or those who are inclined to toss and turn throughout the night. It is also beneficial to people with shorter body frames together with limited mobility.

Alternative Mattress Types

Mattresses can have a massive influence on the quality of sleep as well as on the ability for a man to heal from injuries, particularly if they’re disabled. Below are some different types of mattresses that may be useful if you are differently abled:

Memory Foam Bed

Memory foam was initially developed to cushion people who are experiencing excessive G-forces, like astronauts, but today many people use memory foam mattresses as a suitable way to provide comfort without disturbing pressure points on the body. While conventional mattresses are usually built from metal springs that push back against the sleeper, memory foam mattresses smoothly adjust to the body.

One of the advantages of memory foam beddings is that they eliminate pressure points. The sleeper, therefore, does not have to roll around as much in his sleep to find comfort, which can’t just improve the quality of sleep, but can decrease pain for individuals that have injuries that they are instead not irritated with motion.

For bed-ridden kind of people, memory foam may also lower the chance of bed sores since it obviously applies less pressure to the body.

Mattresses such as these have advantages even for the regular, non-disabled individual, but they’re especially perfect for people who encounter back pain when falling on metal-spring bedding, people who are spending plenty of time in bed, and users who experience sleep disturbances from continuous turning and tossing. Memory Foam provides enough support and conforms to your body’s shape, so it may often be the best for people who cannot comfortably sleep in either soft or firm traditional mattresses.

Extra Firm Mattresses

For many, soft beds will irritate back pain because they do not provide enough comfort. Extra firm beds are intended to help keep the spine aligned and prevent the “hammock” effect of a mattress with less firm support.

The main benefit of a firm mattress is obviously the support it provides. It protects the bones and joints from injury and keeps the body from slipping into an awkward position. Many instances, thicker mattresses will sag with time, which will result in dips in the substance. These dips may result in poor sleeping positions, not only in regards to one’s spine, but also the limbs and other body parts.

By extension, the next most crucial advantage is that it allows for more profound, fuller rest. Since one is less prone to falling into awkward places during the night, one is less likely to need to wake up and turn over, which allows one to acquire more profound rest.

Firm beds are excellent for people that suffer from chronic back pain and need to maintain the right posture while sleeping. Having a new firm mattress can be perfect for others too, though, since it offers the support required to prevent these kinds of accidents in the first place.

Waterproof Mattresses

As annoying for the individual as it can be, specific disabilities can make a person unable to keep their urine through the night, which may lead to a destroyed mattress with time. While diapers can be useful to some degree, with the unconscious moving around that may happen in one’s sleep, leaks will probably happen at the one point. Using a waterproof mattress may go a long way in making cleanup easier.

The advantages of having a mattress such as this are many. Since the urine can’t soak into the sponge of the mattress, the mattress will last considerably last longer than one which isn’t waterproof. Also, it can withstand accidental spills far better.

A waterproof mattress also leads to smell better since it doesn’t accumulate urine and retains a room fresh even when the sleeper is severely uncontrolled and voids on the mattress daily. Though some protection from this may be provided by draping a standard mattress in waterproof pads, there’s always the chance of leakage unless the mattress is inherently waterproof.

Waterproof mattresses are mostly supposed to offer protection for incontinent people, but they have other conceivable applications and can provide protection against various other body fluids.

Extra Support

Several times mattresses aren’t enough to give you the body support you need, particularly in the case you must remain in precisely the same position for an extended period. Here are a few accessories that you can utilize with your bedding which can offer the necessary support:

Mattress Elevator

These units are available various thicknesses and shapes, but they primarily function as a means to shift parts of a mattress up and offer a perfect angle to the user. Usually, they are wedge-shaped and are placed under the mattress. They may be made from various materials.

Another popular way that mattress elevators are applied is to lift up the toes over the heart instead of an adjusting bed. This can help those who are trying to reduce swelling or who have circulation difficulties. People with injuries to the legs may profit from this elevation.

Another method to use the mattress elevators is by positioning them near the uppermost body part of the user. This lets the user sit up in bed in comfort and with complete support.

People with the limited movement who don’t want to have an adjustable bed or cannot afford could gain from a mattress elevator. Those who have suffered injury may use these to promote relaxation and healing.

Neck Support Pillows

Even for people who don’t have any pre-existing injury to the backbone, always placing the neck at an ergonomically wrong position can result in a gradual injury over time. Neck support pillows can help to alleviate this problem. Standard pillows usually lack support for the neck and only let it droop down, which may lead to discomfort and straining.

Neck support pillows prevent the sleeper from defaulting to an uncomfortable neck position in their sleep and can help keep the spine aligned. In the long term, this contributes to a spine and neck and will help keep the sleeper more mobile.

Additionally, neck support pillows support a long and comfortable with fewer interruptions. Sleep is critical for health, particularly for people suffering from disabilities. A memory foam neck pillow can also eliminate pressure points and lessen the demand for the sleeper to move around; this is perfect when the man is disabled and frequently needs help even just to turn over.

Neck support pillows can benefit a whole crowd of folks, from the able-bodied to the disabled. However, those that are disabled from a back injury will locate them particularly helpful since they help to keep the spine aligned and to keep it stable.

Body Pillows

Body pillows are used for centuries because of their benefits. Usually, they’re long pillows which are about the length and width of the human body, and the user can cling to them and the rest component of the weight on its cushioning.

Body pillows help to ease the strain on the joints and bones by avoiding the awkward positions that you can quickly feel on a flat mattress. This mainly applies to the hip, shoulder, leg, and back strain.

Additionally, the excess support enables the body to unwind fully, because less tension is required to keep the body in a particular position. This can promote deeper sleep.

Body pillows are an excellent accessory for those people who are too disabled to roll up into different positions during the night and require a supportive pillow that will keep them at the same position. It can also benefit those that are injured or just must sleep in a particular position; their body usually can’t hold by itself.

Lifting Yourself

Lots of individuals don’t have the mobility to get in and out of bed on their own. But, there are some products that you can use that can help you increase your independence and get in and out of bed without needing human assistance:

Bed Grab Handles

Just as you might encounter handles on handicapped paths or inaccessible restrooms which are intended to help people to lift themselves up, there are related products which may be set up on the frames of beds to serve the same purpose. Many times they can be set up using conventional methods to a regular bed frame, and they take the shape of a pole or a rail.

Such grab handles make it easier to slide in and out of bed, even if the user has a limited balance. If the individual has trouble adjusting their position, it can also give some support.

Grab handles may be helpful ascending from or descending to a wheelchair. It may make to reduce the effort that a caretaker should make when moving somebody with limited mobility and it may allow the user to leverage their own strength to aid safely.

Therefore, bed grab handles can be beneficial for the old and others who might be prone to falling when moving out of the bed. It may also help individuals who spend much of the day in a lying position and might undergo a fast lowering of blood pressure (and consequent weakness) upon standing up. People who use wheelchairs may find them much helpful.

Bed Hand Block

A bed hand block is usually a set of handles attached to a flat weight that can be positioned directly onto the surface of the bed. They appear like certain sorts of exercise devices, like those used to do push-ups, but they really help users more efficiently lift themselves off the bed.

Hand blocks can be especially valuable to people with joint injuries, particularly in the wrists. Instead of having to bend the wrist to lift one’s body, an individual can keep the arm and hand aligned for a much stronger grip and position. This minimizes injury.

Among the most common applications for hand blocks, besides working as grips to lift the body out of bed, are for those cases when the user should lift their buttocks from the bed. For instance, to allow a bedpan to slide beneath or to enable a caregiver to wash up the result of any incontinence without the user needing to leave the bed.

Hand blocks are excellent for individuals that still have a certain quantity of body strength, but who have problem with coordination on top of a smooth surface like a bed. People with joint pain, but with still functioning muscles may find it beneficial.

Bed Steps

Bed steps can make the trip to and from bed somewhat easier for people who have trouble raising their legs high, particularly if a person has a high profile bed. Together with bed grab handles, bed steps can conquer injury to the less mobile people.

An advantage of bed steps is they make the shift from the mattress to the ground simpler. Many times handicapped or aged people may also lack the flexibility to lift their knees high enough to climb onto the bed.

Additionally, bed steps can stop falling by giving a slower descent also and reducing the effect on the joints which one giant step from the mattress to the floor may provide. With steps, the user can pace themselves more. They are a convenient way to allow children or pets to join the disabled person on the bed without their having someone to pick them up.

Individuals that are vulnerable to injury from sudden movements or who are readily prone to falling may find bed steps useful. Those with arthritis or knees injuries may also find it much easier to take many tiny steps slowly to the floor than to chance jumping down harshly.

Bed Rope Ladder Pulls

Though they may appear a little funny at first, rope ladder pulls enable a person to pull themselves out of bed quickly. One end connects to the foot of the bed frame, and the end is allowed to sit close to the user. When the user wishes to sit up or begin to get out of bed, they grab one side and “climb” their way to a seated position by pulling down the rope.

This unit can make it much easier to move around for those who have ailments or injuries that hold them from being able to lift themselves from the ground up. If one’s upper body pushing muscles are weak or disabled –like the triceps–or wrist joints suffer from chronic pain, having the ability to pull oneself out of bed as opposed to pushing can make a big difference.

Pulling up oneself is a gradual process, and might assist in preventing abrupt reductions in blood pressure.

These rope ladders are excellent for people that are semi-movable and still use the upper back muscle group. For the people who are not able to roll over or alter their position, it can allow a straight-forward method to sit up in bed.

Avoiding Injury

For accidents can be more disastrous to the disabled people. Mainly if you live alone, it might be challenging for you to find the help that you need, so often a great approach is to attempt and prevent harm as far as possible in the first place.

Headboard Pads

Most headboards are incredibly hard, and even many healthy people will unconsciously injure themselves through the night when they’re tossing and turning. This can be a significant problem because it is the head that suffers the brunt of the force. Headboard pads work as soft cushions which are wrapped over the bed’s headboard and protect the sleeper from injury.

Since a disabled person might spend a lot of time in bed, a headboard pad might be an ideal addition to the safety equipment that surrounds them. This is particularly true for individuals that might suffer from an involuntary movement which could launch them up into the headboard.

When a bed-ridden individual sits up, they might also have the inattentive tendency to lead against the headboard. This can’t only be uncomfortable, but it can cause neck and back strain. A padded headboard will add some support to avoid injuries from such awkward positions. A mattress elevator or pillows may help in this respect.

Headboard pads are best for those people who are always moving around in the bed unconsciously or that have a propensity to rest the head and upper body onto it. Resting one’s head at an angle on a padded headboard isn’t wise, because it can hurt the neck, but at least it will protect against head injuries and bruising.

Bed Rails

As headboards are hard, so also the floors, and somebody who’s unaware of their constant moving or who’s not able to control their muscles because of disability may fall out of the bed during the night unless they are appropriately confined. A bed railing acts to close the individual in so that they will hit the rails rather than falling over the edge if they roll over and miscalculate the bed’s size.

Bed rails can protect people from harm, especially those who have weak bones which can easily be prone to breaking, like the elderly. If someone can’t manage to drop from a bed and will probably suffer dire consequences, a certain level of confinement may be necessary.

The same as anyone else, disabled people may also suffer from sleep disturbances which make them toss and roll and possibly even fall from the bed. While individuals with normal levels of mobility may be able just to stand up and get back into the bed, a disabled person could be stranded on the ground for hours until they are detected and returned to their mattress, even if they are not hurt. Bed rails help to avoid this issue altogether.

A perfect candidate for a pair of bed rails is anybody who would experience serious injury from falling off a bed. By way of instance, a very elderly person with a high profile bed could gain from bed rails, and a person should invest in them. Furthermore, individuals with sleep disorders that cause them to behave and move around in their sleep may have the ability to restrain themselves slightly with bed rails, or at least reduce the chance for falling.

Bed Rail Pads

Since bed rails can provide yet additional hard surface on which a person can suffer injury, sometimes placing pads on the rails themselves can help overcome injury and discomfort. Like headboards, people may accidentally trash corresponding them in their sleep.

Bed rails avoid bruising and scratch and often even self-injury when the user is more prone to this. An individual should consider attaching padding to a rail if it’s some exposed hardware or pointy edges.

They’re just more comfortable if the person is more likely to falling asleep in awkward positions and rolling around in their sleep. The padding of the rail can act as an additional cushion of support in cases such as these.

Bed rail pads are fantastic for individuals that may be prone to bruising and tend to knock against the sides of the bed. Disabled and elderly people who do not heal from minor injuries could benefit from this superior protection.

Floor Pads

When bed rails aren’t present, they haven’t managed to perform their job for some reason, the last line of defense for someone who’s at risk for falling out of bed are floor pads. They wouldn’t be necessary, but they are relatively non-expensive and could possibly protect against catastrophic injury, particularly in people who cannot heal well, such as those who are of advanced age. They are made from any soft material or foam.

While a very low profile bed can decrease the effects of a fall, if a person’s bones are fragile or easily prone to injury, the extra care of placing pads on the surface may prevent problems if a fall does occur. At least, it provides some peace of mind especially if the person is not intentionally attentive of their actions and may attempt to move out of bed without support against a care giver’s directions.

Additionally, soft floor pads can make the descent from the bed to the ground easier for the user. It offers a low impact surface that might be gentler on the joints particularly the knees than a hard floor which has no “give.” If the user tries to escape bed but suffers or trips a fall as they’re trying to sit down, it also provides a soft surface to fall. Together with bed grab handles, bed rails, and a floor pad may decrease the fall uncertainty of an individual that is handicapped.

Individuals who would benefit the most from cushioned flooring at the same as those who may require bedrolls, particularly if the person has a propensity to roll the railings over or perhaps climb them over them to advice. Other people who may benefit are the one with sleep disturbances such as sleepwalking, who might trash in their sleep, but who do not want to install rails or other preventative measures.

Taking Advantage of Products & Aids Available

Being disabled can make life somewhat more difficult, but it does not mean that you cannot take steps to keep yourself comfortable and healthy. Others might have a peaceful time with sleeping patterns, but this does not mean you need to live a life of constraints, –it just indicates that you might need to do things a bit differently.

With the support of bedding products like the ones described above, you might discover that it’s a lot easier to live a life that is comfortable and reduce inconveniences. Sleep is central to your well-being and essential to make sure not to small dismiss discomforts, as they can lead to chronic injuries over time if left unaddressed.

Category: People Beds

Tags: bedroom, Sleep Environment in Bedroom