Can you buy an electric hospital bed for the home?

If you or a loved one have recently been using an electric hospital bed, perhaps in a hospital or care home setting, and you’re moving back to your home, you may be asking: can I buy an electric hospital bed for the home?

It’s a common question we get asked at Felgains, as individuals and their family members look to kit out homes with the right care and mobility equipment. So, this guide will explain what your options are when it comes to nursing beds for the home environment.

What benefits do electric hospital beds offer for the home?

Compared to a standard domestic bed, electric hospital beds have many added functions which are designed to keep a person safe in bed for long periods of time and to support care in and around the bed.

For example, hospital beds are height adjustable, so they can be raised to a safe working height for carers to look after personal care. They can then be lowered to a safe resting or sleeping height, often combined with side rails to prevent falls from the bed.

Electric nursing beds have a special profiling action so you can achieve a range of positions. The best models feature auto regression to reduce shear and friction when you profile the bed, reducing the risk of pressure sores. They’re also designed to work with moving and handling equipment, like a mobile hoist.

Specially designed pressure relief mattresses are used with a hospital bed to help prevent and treat pressure sores. These range from memory foam mattresses up to air-alternating mattresses for people at very high risk of pressure ulcers.

Can you buy these electric hospitals beds for the home?

Beds which are made for use in acute hospital settings are not normally available for private individuals to buy.

However, what potential customers are usually looking for is an electric nursing bed, similar to the style used in a care home. Often called hospital beds, these are available to buy for a private dwelling. A typical example would be the Invacare Medley electric nursing bed, combined with a pressure relief nursing bed mattress and potentially some additional accessories.

Do you have to buy an electric hospital bed to get these care features?

Depending on your individual care needs, you don’t necessarily need to go for the electric nursing bed style to get the functionality you need. In fact, you can achieve many of the same features in a bespoke adjustable mobility bed, like the Richmond or Orwood. This includes options like height adjustment, frame cut-outs for hoist access and side rails. The benefit of this route is you can choose a domestic style bed which fits into a homely environment.

Is an electric nursing bed or bespoke adjustable mobility bed best for me?

It probably won’t surprise you when we say this depends entirely on your individual needs. For lower acuity care needs, a bespoke adjustable bed will usually meet your needs. However, it’s a good idea to consider potential future needs as well.

If you are at very high risk of pressure sores, or you have active pressure sores, you will almost certainly require an electric nursing bed with an appropriate pressure relief mattress.

As with all mobility and care equipment options, nothing beats personal advice! That’s why, even after having read this guide, you’ve probably still got some questions about your situation. If this is the case, please do get in touch and one of our expert advisors will be very happy to help you.