What do you consider to be the best hospital bed to buy for home use or otherwise?

A full or semi-electric hospital bed is a must-have

Let's start with making sure you get an electric hospital bed, and not a manual one, especially if the patient is at home and you don't have the advantage of trained caregivers. Doesn't matter if it's fully electric, meaning you have electric power to adjust the head, foot and height of the bed, or semi-electric which just adjusts the head and foot area, but without electricity, the person in the bed will not be able to adjust the bed him or herself and will always depend on the caregiver for comfort. 

When is a semi-electric hospital bed as good as a fully-electric hospital bed?

When raising and lowering the height of the bed doesn't happen often, a semi-electric hospital bed may be just fine. This is especially true in the home where there is only patient that needs the care. If you have to raise and lower the bed frequently to adjust for different caregivers and/or different patient-exit and entry height needs, then a full-electric hospital bed for use in the home might be best for you. 

Exactly which electric hospital bed do we recommend?

It's hard to pick one. We like and recommend all the hospital bed brands we sell, but if you'd like a specific recommendation, we like Invacare's full electric hospital bed 5410ivc for the elderly and home environments. It comes with a FREE mattress and side rails, but that's not what makes it unique. We carry other hospital bed sets that include the mattress and rails. We recommend it because nothing beats Invacare's combination of quality and feature selections in this bed.

But, that said, depending on your need and budget, there are plenty of other great electric hospital bed options that may actually meet your needs better. Before you buy, please do not hesitate to use live chat or call us on the phone, especially if you're looking for a hospital bed for your home. You will speak to a product expert. We'll help you choose the right electric hospital bed. 

Final thought, if you're looking for a hospital bed to use in the home, you may not need to be as discriminating as a clinic or hospital might. Reason being, your bed only needs to fit the needs of one person and, often, one caregiver. Hospitals need beds that can be put up with heavy use, even abuse, by many patients and caregivers over many years, even decades. That is not the case for homecare hospital beds. Nevertheless, we do not sell anything here that we feel would not meet the demanding needs and conditions of both environments. 

What hospital bed brands do you sell?

We are proud to sell the best names in the industry. You can purchase the base alone or choose one of our sets that we've put together for you at a savings.

To sort out by these brands, first select either "Hospital Bed Frames" or "Hospital Bed Sets". There you can use the filter to sort by brand. (We've give you a link but it would include everything by the brand.)

• Invacare
• Drive Medical
• Graham Field
• Lumex
• ProBasics

Who needs a hospital bed?

In short, hospital beds are ideal for those who need additional support or assistance while in bed, as well as postural adjustments to alleviate discomfort because of the time they must spend in bed. These include the handicapped, the infirm who may be recovering from surgery or illness, those with chronic conditions, and the elderly who may also be classified as handicapped. When used for the elderly, they are commonly called geriatric beds. 

Hospital beds are specialized beds designed for use in a healthcare setting, such as a hospital or nursing home, but are also widely used at home. They come in a variety of styles and sizes based on their electrical capabilities, size and user weight capacity to meet the needs of each user.  

What's the main advantage of an electric hospital bed?

One of the main advantages of a hospital or geriatric bed is that it allows for easy access and care for elderly patients and others who may have mobility or health issues. But the patients themselves will praise the various positions a hospital bed affords them. They can go from prone to sitting positions with ease as long as you have an electric hospital bed, that is. A good hospital bed mattress along with the variable sleeping positions also helps to prevent pressure sores.   

What should you look for when shopping for a hospital bed?

When looking to buy a quality hospital bed, some important factors to consider include the bed's:

• Weight capacity
• Ease of operation (choose either full or semi-electric)
• Durability.
• Certifications and meeting safety standards such as those from the FDA or UL.

What's the main difference between the different types of hospital beds?

All electric hospital beds have head, foot and hi-low (bed height) adjustments, but the method of each adjustment will vary depending if the function is adjusted electrically with a hand pendant or manually with a crank.

• Full Electric - Electric head, foot and bed height control
• Semi Electric - Electric head and foot control, manual bed height
• Manual - Crank adjusts head, foot and bed height manually (note: we only sell full and semi-electric beds here)
• Heavy Duty (Bariatric) - Full electric, at least 42"

Most of the standard 36" wide full electric, semi-electric and manual hospital beds require no tools to assemble. However, it is recommended to have at least two people to assemble them because of the size of the parts.

All our hospital beds are great for both home and clinical or hospital environments. 

Select either "Hospital Bed Frames" or "Hospital Bed Sets" first and then you will be able to sort by features. 

What's the difference between hospital, geriatric and home care beds? 

There is no difference. Geriatric beds refers to the same beds used in hospitals and care facilities, but takes on a geriatric role when used by the elderly. Home care beds are also typically hospital beds, but used in the home environment.

Adjustable beds can also be called home care beds. They lack the institutional look of hospital beds but can provide the same conveniences for both the user and the caregiver.

Can I rent a hospital bed for home use?

Yes, hospital beds can be rented for home use through your local medical equipment rental companies. Do a cost comparison before you rent or buy first. For the length of time you expect to need a hospital bed, you may find it's cheaper to buy. Typically those who rent are dealing with a temporary handicapped condition.

We only have hospital beds for sale here. 

What is the weight limit for a hospital bed?

The weight limit for a hospital bed can vary depending on the size, specific model and manufacturer, but most 36" wide hospital beds have a weight limit between 350-450 pounds while hospital beds 42" wide or more have weight limits of 600 lbs. or more.

How do I adjust the height of a hospital bed?

The height of a hospital bed can be adjusted using the hand cranks or electric hand controls, depending on the type of bed. Semi electric hospital beds include a hand control which operates the head and foot sections up and down, but a crank to manually raise and lower the entire height of the bed. Full electric hospital beds include a hand control which operates all three functions - head, foot, and entire height - up and down.

This can be one of the disadvantages of the adjustable beds mentioned above. Not all have the ability to raise the height of the bed base. For those who need that option because it makes it much easier on the caregiver, we offer the Flex-a-bed Hi Low.

What are the dimensions of a standard hospital bed?

A standard hospital bed sleep surface is 36 inches wide and 80 inches long while the overall bed length which includes the head board and foot board is 88 inches long. For taller individuals, we also sell hospital beds with a 84" long sleep surface and are 92" long overall including the head board and foot board.

Can I use my own mattress on a hospital bed?

Typically, no, because the hospital bed sleep surface is meant for a 36" wide by 80" long mattress that is also made to bend up an down with the head and foot sections of the hospital bed. The closest match of a non-hospital bed mattress would be an Twin XL mattress which is 38" wide by 80" long. We offer cost savings on sets if you need to buy a mattress too.

Are hospital beds covered by insurance?

It depends on the specific type of insurance and the reason the bed is needed. It's best to check with your insurance provider. First step would be to get a prescription from your doctor. Then submit the request to your insurance company. They will tell you what kind of hospital bed you may or may not qualify for. 

If you only qualify for a rental because they deem your need to be temporary, most insurances will cover at least part of the rental of a semi-electric hospital bed if the person medically qualifies. In that case, the insurance provider will need to provide you with the local medical equipment supplier(s) in your network since it is a rental.

Does Medicare cover the cost of buying a hospital bed?

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)covers hospital beds as durable medical equipment (DME) that your doctor prescribes for use in your home." Source Medicare.gov

How do I clean a hospital bed?

Follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning the bed. In general, you should clean surfaces with a mild detergent and warm water.

How often should a hospital bed be serviced?

Most manufacturers recommend having a hospital bed serviced once a year or as needed. However, most manufacturers provide a user manual which includes assembly, service and care instructions.