Choosing a hospital bed

[WillowJ]

Hi everyone! We're trying to get a hospital bed for my mom, and a local DME suggested that we get a Drive Prime Care Model P903 (with his description: "it is a superior full electric bed compared to our standard bed and comes with an upgraded 5 zone mattress.") I've attached the PDF flyer that they sent us. I've done lots of reading through old threads in this forum that included good advice about what to look for, and so we're looking for an 84" bed (my mom is 6' tall!) that includes the Trendelenberg/Reverse feature and is able to lift up high enough for us to comfortably assist her in/out of bed. She still has some arm/leg mobility, but she's quite weak. The bed seems okay to us, but I'm not sure what we're not thinking about or missing, and any advice or warnings would be so appreciated!

 

[lgelb]

It looks fine but more than you need, e.g. it's a bariatric bed with the weight limit of 600 lb, you don't need a standard IV holder, etc. So presuming you're paying for part of it, you might want to ask if there's a non-bariatric model as they do tend to upcharge for that. Also I would ask about the motor, which I don't see called out in the specs. You want a Linak motor.

 

[WillowJ]

Thanks so much! I'll ask about the motor and a non-bariatric model.

 

[bassy77]

My mom just purchased a Supernal bed.
(commercial link removed)

So far it has been good. She is only 5' tall, so the salesperson recommended an 80" bed. Surprisingly, her feet are almost touching the foot of the bed when she is sitting up as the hinge point is pretty far down from the top (head) of the bed. That was the only surprise. But it seems comfortable with a Ascent mattress. Allows for a lift to roll under the bed (not needed yet). Has an easy to use remote.

One thing we got after was a sofa arm organizer, so that she can keep her phone and the remote handy as unlike a typical hospital bed the remote is not attached to the bed. The first night she was in the bed she forgot the remote was next to her and knocked it onto the floor. She lives alone, so luckily she had her Apple watch on and was able to call me over. We live in the next house over.

Good luck

 

[nona]

When I could still use remotes, we tied them to whatever I sat in so that if I dropped them I couldcould pull them back up by the string.