Fall-related injuries are one of the most common risk factors for older adults at home. These falls can have serious consequences: hip fractures, head trauma, and other injuries requiring hospitalization. Falls can negatively impact the quality of life, health, and safety of seniors. 

If you or a loved one is at risk of falls, it’s important to design your home with prevention in mind. Bright lighting and handrails are must-haves, but what about your bed?

Fortunately, hospital beds have evolved over the years to include a number of fall prevention tools. Significantly safer than traditional beds, a home hospital bed can substantially decrease the risk of fall-related injuries. 

Read more to learn about how home hospital beds can keep your loved ones safer, reducing the risk of falls.

• There are two common bed-related patient falls that caregivers should be aware of: 
• During Transfers: Transferring in and out of bed can be a high-risk activity for many patients. Muscle weakness, poor balance, impaired vision, or any other number of factors may lead to unstable transfers/unexpected falls.
• Falling Out of Bed: Patients may occasionally accidentally roll out of bed in the middle of the night while asleep.

Modern-day high-quality hospital beds come equipped with features to prevent both types of falls. 

These features include:

• Hi-low beds
• Bed Rails
• Underbed lighting
• Bed evacuation alerts
• And more…

Hi-low hospital beds raise or lower vertically with the press of a button. While each bed model differs, hi-low beds have a general range of 7”-30”. The right bed height helps patients set their feet completely flat on the floor, creating a safe environment for transfers.

These height-adjustable beds can be an incredible tool for patients, allowing them to select the ideal elevation for them during transfers in and out of bed. The use of a hi-low hospital bed in the home can reduce the risk of fall-related patient injuries by over 50%. 

Learn more about our top-rated hi-low beds

Bed rails are detachable, customizable metal rails that offer additional support to hospital bed users. They help prevent falls in two ways: 

• Stability During Transfers: While transferring in and out of bed, users can grip the bed rail for added stability.
• Fall-Prevention Barrier: Bed rails act as an extra barrier of protection for patients who move frequently in their sleep and may be prone to accidental falls. 

Hospital bed rails come in a wide range of designs depending on your specific needs. Some of the most common bed rail styles include: 

• Quarter and Half Rails: These are standard horizontal metal rails. Quarter bed rails are smaller, while half rails have a wider surface area.
• Soft Rails: Designed with soft plastic rather than metal, these rails offer a more ergonomic surface.
• Halo Safety Ring Bed Rail: A popular rail design, the Halo Safety Ring has a unique circular shape. Equipped with multiple different ergonomic handholds, users can rotate the handle 90 degrees to support entries/exits. 

Proper lighting is consistently one of the most important factors in fall prevention. With that being said, it’s not always ideal to turn on bright lights and disrupt sleep schedules during a late-night bathroom trip. Certain models of hospital beds come with built-in underbed lighting, which lights up the floor during transfers. This creates safe, well-lit transfers no matter the time of day. 

Bed exit alarms allow you to keep a watchful “eye” on patients during the night or while caregivers are away. They can alert caregivers immediately when a patient exits the hospital bed or is at risk of falling. Response time is critical when it comes to caring for patients after a fall– exit alarms help care teams respond immediately. 

The right hospital bed isn’t just about getting a good night’s sleep– they can help reduce the risk of injury, maintain independence, and improve overall health outcomes. 

If you’re looking for a home hospital bed to support an elderly individual, consider how the right hospital bed can keep your loved ones safe from falls. 

Check out our catalog of the top-rated home hospital beds in the USA. Our team of product experts are always available to offer advice and lend a helping hand!