Getting into and out of bed is one of the certain daily routines, and it is a major challenge for many people. Choosing an appropriate 'tailored' adjustable-height bed solution or bed lifter can make all the difference in terms of making the task manageable and enabling happy independent living at home. Getting 'high-low' right means enjoying the full benefit of the freedom that it offers.
When is a high-low / variable-height facility important?
A ‘High-Low’ function / adjustable height bed frame which adds variable height adjustment to a bed (a function which is wholly independent of the usual profiling ‘sit-up-in-bed’ back and leg raising features of standard adjustable beds) is designed to meet two primary needs:
Independent living - Firstly, variable height allows users to get into bed at low level and get out of bed at a higher level. This is typically a problem either where individuals find it difficult - or simply impossible - to get into and out of bed at a fixed height due to a lack of sufficient body / muscle strength to move from a position of being seated comfortably on the edge of a bed, upwards into a standing position (and simply increasing the overall height of the bed base is invariably no solution for such users, since this requires a corresponding greater effort in connection with raising legs, when getting back into the bed at a higher height); or for transfers to and from wheelchairs where it is - for gravity reasons - obviously only practicable to move in a downwards direction. Where these sort of difficulties are present, the variable height function can offer the solution.
Carer protection - Secondly, where individuals require nursing or other caring assistance, the variable height function means that all routine tasks can be carried out at a suitable raised height, where its use helps to prevent back injury to carers who are otherwise faced with assisting their patients at an uncomfortable and unacceptable level.
This second issue is becoming increasingly more important in the personal home environment as awareness and regulation of carer activity develops, having due regard to proper management of health and safety risks. There is a growing recognition of the number of carers (both professional and personal-relative types) who have picked up longer-term health problems caused simply by working repeatedly in bed-related situations in an inappropriate ‘bent-over’ position. Although there is presently no formal prescriptive regulation on the matter, many professional care-providers are already refusing to offer care services in the private home environment at all, unless and until those in need of care services also have appropriate high-low function equipment available. Increased awareness of the problem is no bad thing – no-one would want to inflict enduring health problems on anyone involved with providing care assistance.
Acquisition of a height-adjustable bed or bed lifter solution is always a significant investment, so it makes sense to give the task the full attention it deserves: you need to be certain in advance that the high-low equipment you acquire is in fact what you need, and that it will in fact 'do the job' that you expect, in the location and environment where you are proposing to use it.
We offer more personally-matched variants, specifications and options for personal home-style height adjustable beds and bed lifters than any other source. This is important because identifying a best high-low solution invariably involves critical measurements combined with a number of other, often complex, personal mobility factors.
If you are interested in finding out more about our high-low variable-height bed solutions, please call us.
ORWOODS manufacture adjustable bed solutions which have been carefully and specifically designed to alleviate and overcome problems and challenges associated with healthcare and independent-living needs. Legislation defines such items as 'medical devices' - and as a result we are compulsorily registered as Medical Device Manufacturers with MHRA, and all of our products are compulsorily designed and manufactured subject to a continuing and detailed monitored quality and performance regime.
We recommend that prospective purchasers take care to source healthcare product solutions such as high-low beds exclusively from proper MHRA-registered manufacturers. There are, unfortunately, a number of inferior-quality ‘look-alike’ items available on a widespread basis which are produced by general commercial companies who are not MHRA-registered, but who understandably want to portray themselves as credible mobility sources. These companies are not MHRA-registered because the items which they produce have not been designed or built to meet the component tolerance standards demanded by healthcare or independent-living needs.
To see whether a company is MHRA-registered simply search online: ‘mhra manufacturer database’.
NOTE ON PRICES
We work to published retail price lists circulated throughout our dealer network. We do not publish price lists on this website, but we are happy to talk openly and in detail about prices on the telephone / via e-mail - all we need is a little information to help us determine exactly what sort of items/specification of bed solutions you are interested in - please feel free to contact us!