| Purchasing a hospital bed for yourself or a loved one, | | | | of a button. And that's a nice convenience. But the |
| can lead to a lot of confusion. And mistakes can cut a | | | | height is still adjusted by a manual crank. The great |
| costly chunk out of your wallet. But once you know | | | | part is that these beds are typically covered by |
| the basics, you'll be able to purchase your next hospital | | | | Medicare for home use. |
| bed or home care bed with confidence! | | | | Electric Hospital Bed: |
| First, here are the bare bones basics: | | | | Now we're into the Cadillac of hospital beds! A fully |
| - The standard size for a hospital bed mattress is 35 x | | | | electric hospital bed allows the patient to not only |
| 80. Be sure to purchase Twin XL sheets because | | | | adjust her head and feet with the push of a button, but |
| standard twin sheets won't fit. | | | | the height of the bed is just as easily controlled. The |
| - If you need extra length, an extension is available on | | | | benefit here is that it makes it so much easier for |
| several models. | | | | patients to get in and out of the bed on their own. |
| - The mattress may or may not be included...be sure | | | | Adjustable Beds: |
| to find out when you are ordering. | | | | These beds are designed to "look" more like real beds. |
| - Bed rails may be included or they may be an add-on. | | | | They come in twin, full, queen and king sizes to |
| Make sure to ask about them when making your | | | | accommodate your preference. |
| purchase. | | | | Specialty Hospital Beds: |
| - If you need to buy a mattress, there are lots of | | | | These are the fancy beds you'll find in most hospitals. |
| choices depending on your needs. There are standard | | | | You'll know them when you see them, too because |
| coil springs, foam and air mattresses. Okay, so now | | | | the price tag will be pretty hefty. But if you're |
| you need to decide what type of hospital bed you | | | | purchasing for a hospital then you just have to bite the |
| need. There are 5 types to choose from: | | | | bullet! |
| Manual Hospital Bed: | | | | I know, I know...it's still hard to decide isn't it? I mean, |
| This is a great choice if you're working on a tight | | | | each type of hospital bed has several different |
| budget and don't mind extra work. The extra work | | | | manufacturers who then sell several different models |
| comes from having to manually crank the bed to | | | | of each type. |
| make any adjustments. So if you want the manual | | | | If you still have questions, your best bet it to talk to a |
| type...be sure that the person who needs to operate | | | | medical equipment expert who can help you decide |
| the bed is physically capable. | | | | which type, make and model will be best for you. |
| Semi-Electric Hospital Bed: | | | | Whatever you do, don't spend thousands of dollars on |
| Again, this is a good choice if your budget is tight. You | | | | a guess. Be sure you're getting the bed you need. |
| can adjust the head and foot of the bed with the push | | | | |