When considering profiling beds for your care home, it is essential to ensure that it is comfortable and supportive enough for your residents. It should also provide the necessary safety features that can help to prevent entrapment, falls and other accidents.

7 things to consider when choosing profiling beds for your care homes.

Here are Renray's top tips for selecting the perfect bed for your care home:

1. Ensure that the bed is appropriate for the size of the resident

A bed that is too small or too large will not be comfortable or supportive for an individual and may be dangerous. Most care home beds are a single size with the option to extend the bed for taller residents. There has been a trend of care homes providing wider profiling beds for residents, to accommodate larger residents, provide more sleeping space or create a more luxurious and appealing care home.

2. Consider the types of features you require from the bed

These should include adjustable features including variable height range, comfortable and supportive seating position, critical for your residents, adjustable head and leg positioning for increased comfort, an integrated bed extension that provides flexibility for taller residents as well as the type of bed rails and bed accessories for added security.

3. Ensure that all adjustable features can be easily operated

Controls that are intuitive to operate and have simple to understand icons, make independent movement easier. Also, consider a lockout for the handset for confused residents or for visiting children, so the bed cannot be moved in error.

4. Look for beds that offer pressure relief

Often the design and technology incorporated into these types of beds are ignored, but they usually have a high-tech profiling system that reduces pressure damage when the bed is being moved, greatly improving comfort and helping to reduce the risk of pressure ulcers. If possible, test or research how the bed moves and how it positions you.

5. Ensure the bed is designed for clinical care

It is essential to consider if a hoist will fit underneath the bed. Check if the mattress pump will fit on the foot end panel, if the weight capacity of the bed is suitable, if bumpers or side rail pads are needed or if additional accessories are required, to assist carers and futureproof the care of your resident.

6. Check the size of the mattress

If buying the bed separately from the mattress then make sure the mattress you have fits the bed you are looking to buy; sometimes there are small but significant differences between them, which can introduce a gap that should not be there. Mattress height, width and depth are all to be considered. Equally, when buying mattresses for existing bed stock, check the mattress size against the bed.

7. Consider the height range of the bed

This can help to ensure that the bed goes low enough for residents and high enough for carers. It should be tailored to match everyone’s needs; some residents require beds that go low to the floor or carers need beds that are high enough for safe moving and handling whilst caring for the resident or cleaners require it to go high enough to get underneath and clean, but know there is always a solution.

Final thoughts...

In summary, choosing the right profiling bed for a care home is an important part of providing a safe and comfortable environment for the resident. Careful consideration of key factors, from the design of the bed and size of the mattress to selecting the right accessories, such as side rails, bumper pads, mattress squabs or falls mats, is essential for selecting the best profiling bed for your care home.

Knowing the individual needs of your residents is key to guiding the selection process, and making sure that their health and comfort are prioritised. 

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