Bariatric beds and medical bariatric beds

Although most people who have difficulty managing their weight can sleep on a standard bed, some larger individuals may need a special bariatric bed. The same can also be true with chairs.

A bariatric bed is a bed that may be slightly larger than a standard sized bed of the same size rating (e.g. double), however the main difference is in the construction of the bed and its associated mattress.

A bariatric bed is made to support a much larger and heavier person than a standard bed and for this reason it has a more robust frame. The result is a bed that can support an individual with a weight of up to, and in some cases greater than, 50 stones or 700 pounds. These beds are designed to take the weight of a large heavy person without deflecting, rocking or being damaged and their superior frame means that they should have a prolonged life.

The bed frame and bed box of a bariatric bed will be made from larger section components and there is often the inclusion of cross members for additional strengthening and improved rigidity. Not surprisingly these beds are considerably heavier than their standard equivalents.

Mattresses

Bariatric mattresses can be made from a number of different materials and they have two primary objectives. The first is to be strong enough to resist and react to the sleeping movements of the person lying on them and the second is to be comfortable whilst providing adequate support.

Most bariatric mattresses will be fairly firm and, although some are made from a conventional coiled spring construction, many are now made using visco elastic memory foam. There are different grades (firmnesses) of memory foam from which to select. They are normally defined by density.

Memory foam mattresses have the ability to react to the movements of the body in a unique way and many experts (including hospitals and care homes) now use these mattresses in preference to the more conventional spring mattresses. For the larger and heavier person having the weight of the body evenly balanced over the surface of the mattress also makes for a healthier night’s sleep. It does this by avoiding localised high pressure points and reducing the occurrence of bed sores or other pressure and friction related tissue damage. This increased comfort results in a less interrupted sleep pattern.

Additionally, visco elastic memory foam mattresses are hypoallergenic and this prevents bacteria and germs from being able to live on them.

Medical bariatric beds

Medical bariatric beds are normally found in hospitals and care facilities and they usually have a strong adjustable metal frame supported on castors that enable them to be moved around easily.

These beds can be adjusted for height and more importantly for (mattress) width. This means that mattresses of different sizes (widths) can be interchanged with these bed frames. These beds typically have "fall preventing" side rails and they can have the angle (slope) of the mattress adjusted so that the body can be elevated above the legs (or vice versa). Beds of this “medical” classification are not generally found in the home.

Further information about hospital and care home style beds can be found here Medical and care bed.

Adjustable beds

Electrically adjustable motorised beds make it possible for regular changes of position – and hence weight support and balance - without the need to leave the bed.

These adjustable beds usually have separate controls for the upper and lower sections of the bed, both of which can be adjusted independently of the other. A remote control unit is used to vary the bed’s sleeping angle and position and some of these beds also have heated mattresses.

Not all adjustable beds are appropriate for the larger person, so it is important to check the beds specification to ensure its suitability. You can find out more about these beds here adjustable beds and mattresses.