Do you want to make sure that an elderly loved one is safe living at home? Make sure you consider fall prevention. 

Unexpected falls are one of the most dangerous risk factors for aging adults. Falls become more common as we age because we lose muscle mass and struggle to keep our balance. A simple fall out of bed can lead to broken bones, head trauma, and other scary consequences. 

Here’s the good news: there are modern hospital beds and tools specifically designed to prevent falls out of bed. With the right hospital bed at home, you can have peace of mind knowing that you don’t need to worry about falls in the night. 

In this blog, we’ll go over our top tips for preventing falls, top hospital beds, and other features to look out for to keep elderly loved ones safe. 

   1.Use a Hi-Low Bed

Safely getting in and out of bed isn’t always easy! A hi-low hospital bed is a type of bed that can easily be adjusted to different heights using a built-in motor. This means that you can safely lower the bed to a comfortable height with the press of a button, making it a breeze to exit the bed. You can also lower the bed height in order to make it a safer distance from the ground. If a fall does happen, users will be far lower to the ground and have a much smaller chance of injury. 

A Staff Favorite: The WeCare Hi-Low HomeCare Bed

https://medmartonline.com/joerns-wecare-homecare-bed

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use safe homecare bed at an affordable price, the WeCare Hi-Low HomeCare bed is a great option. You or a loved one can easily use the 8-button hand control to adjust the bed height or change positions in seconds. It has an 400lbs weight capacity, is ultra-sturdy, and could not be easier to assemble at home. 

Best of all, it includes a lot of customization options. You can choose your favorite bed panel color, style of bed rail, and mattress type.

Want to check out more hi-low beds? Here are some of our  4 Best Hi-Low Hospital Beds for Home Use https://medmartonline.com/blog/best-hi-low-hospital-beds-for-home-use

  2. Install Bed Rails

 Bed rails are a simple, effective, and affordable way to prevent falls. These rails can be installed on either end of the bed and help in two ways: 

• Stability During Transfers: Loved ones can grip the rail for extra stability/a helping hand when getting in and out of bed. 
• Fall-Prevention Barrier: Sometimes, users can accidentally fall out of bed while tossing and turning at night. A bed rail acts as a barrier and keeps loved ones safely on the bed. 

There are lots of different types of bed rails, each with their own benefits. Let’s go over a few popular types of bed rails: 

• Full, Half, and Quarter Length Bed Rails: Full length bed rails run the entire length of the bed for maximum security, and can be helpful for the side of the bed that you don’t get in and out of. Half and quarter rails are shorter– they don’t offer as much security, but can be easier for transfers and caregivers. 
• Soft Bed Rails: Most bed rails are made from metal. If you’re looking for a more comfortable bed rail or are worried about a loved one injuring themselves on a metal rail, soft rails are the solution. They are made from a soft plastic and are ultra-comfortable. 
• Halo Ring Bed Safety Rail: This type of bed rail is very popular, and can be installed on any home hospital bed. The unique shape gives a lot of different grip handle options  so that loved ones can always easily support themselves. 

Want to learn more? Read about our 5 Top Things to Know When Selecting a Bed Safety Rail.  https://medmartonline.com/blog/important-things-to-know-when-selecting-bed-safety-rails-for-home-hospital-beds

  Bed Wedges

Bed wedges can also help keep loved ones safely in bed. These wedges can be used for many purposes: to elevate the head while sleeping, help alleviate back pain, or to help keep users from accidentally rolling out of bed. You can easily reposition the bed wedge or take it with you while traveling. 

    3.Clear Clutter

One of the easiest ways to help prevent falls in the bedroom is to clear any clutter around the bed! Elderly people often find it difficult to navigate around obstacles– whether it’s a pile of laundry or a group of charging cables on the floor. Keeping the space around the bed clear of any tripping hazards is a no-cost way to help protect against falls. 

Common tripping hazards to look out for include: 

• Charging cables
• Uneven rugs
• Low Furniture (such as a stool)

   4. Improve Visibility 

You can’t safely get in and out of bed if you can’t see– look for ways to improve visibility around the bedroom. Remote lights that can be operated by loved ones can be helpful, as well as choosing a hospital bed with under-bed lighting. 

   5. Use Alert Systems

In the rare case that a fall does happen, make sure that you are prepared to respond quickly! Bed exit alarms give your loved ones privacy, while also letting you know when they unexpectedly leave the bed. 

Some hospital beds have bed exit alarms included in the bedframe, but you can also purchase an alarm separately. 

For more flexibility, consider a floor mat alarm. This alarm mat can be moved anywhere around the bed and can easily be packed up and taken on trips https://medmartonline.com/vive-wireless-floor-alarm

No one wants their loved one to experience a dangerous or hurtful fall. With modern-day hospital beds and fall prevention tools, you can feel confident knowing that you are taking the best possible care of a family member or friend. 

We recommend you take a look at Med Mart’s comprehensive catalog of top home hospital beds and fall prevention products. Our team of product experts are always available to offer advice and lend a helping hand!