Hospital beds at home — when they need one and how to get it

This article provides general information about hospital beds for home use. The decision to obtain a hospital bed should be made with your parent's doctor or other healthcare providers, who can assess whether a hospital bed is medically necessary and what features are appropriate for your parent's specific situation.

A hospital bed in a bedroom is a declaration of something. Not necessarily something dark, but something real. Your parent's health has shifted in a way that the bed they've slept in for decades no longer serves them well. Maybe they can't move in and out of it easily anymore. Maybe they need to adjust the height of the head or feet. Maybe the angle matters, and a regular bed can't provide it. The hospital bed isn't failure. It's adaptation. It's recognizing that your parent's body needs something different now.

Hospital beds are remarkably useful things, which is why hospitals use them. They adjust. They're sturdy. They're designed for people whose movement is limited. For someone whose mobility has declined, a hospital bed can mean the difference between staying in their own home and needing to move to an institution.

When a Hospital Bed Becomes Necessary

Your parent doesn't need a hospital bed just because they're older. Many older people sleep in regular beds just fine for their entire lives. But certain situations make a hospital bed genuinely helpful.

If your parent has difficulty getting into or out of bed, a hospital bed that adjusts the height makes a difference. When the bed is raised higher, it's less distance from the chair they sit in to the mattress, less demand on their legs and back to get themselves up. When they're trying to lie down, they can lower the head of the bed gradually, controlling their descent rather than letting gravity do it.

If your parent needs to sit up in bed frequently, either because of breathing issues, swallowing concerns, or just because they need to be semi-upright, a hospital bed's adjustable head section provides this without requiring a fortress of pillows. The angle is smooth and even, not the lumpy, slippery arrangement of regular pillows.

If your parent spends significant time in bed, a hospital bed distributes their weight differently, which can reduce pressure on the skin and help prevent pressure sores. This is particularly important for someone with limited mobility.

If your parent's caregivers need to help them move, a hospital bed is easier to work with. The height can be adjusted to a safe working height for the person helping. There are often rails on the sides that provide something to hold onto. The mechanism is stable and predictable.

If your parent is recovering from surgery or illness, a hospital bed provides positioning options that help recovery. This is why hospitals use them.

Some insurance covers hospital beds when they're deemed medically necessary. "Medically necessary" has a specific meaning in insurance language. Your parent's doctor has to document that a hospital bed is required for medical reasons. It can't just be because it would be more comfortable. It has to be because it's genuinely necessary for treatment or recovery.

Types and Features

Hospital beds come in different configurations. The most basic is a manual bed, where the head and foot adjust by hand crank. This works fine for a patient who doesn't need frequent adjustments. It requires some strength to crank, so that matters too. Some people find hand cranks slow or difficult.

Electric beds adjust with a remote control, usually with buttons for raising the head, raising the foot, and raising or lowering the entire bed. This is convenient. Adjustments happen smoothly without requiring effort. Most people prefer electric beds, and they're worth the cost if your parent uses the bed frequently.

Hospital beds come in different sizes. The standard is the same length and width as a regular full-size bed, which often fits in the same space. This matters because you're probably not clearing an entire room. Some beds are narrower to fit smaller spaces. Your parent's bedroom dimensions matter.

Rails are optional add-ons. Side rails provide something to hold onto and prevent rolling off. They're useful for someone with significant mobility limitations or balance issues. They're not appropriate for everyone. Someone who's confused might get tangled trying to get out, or injured trying to climb over. The decision to use rails should be made with attention to the actual risks and benefits for your parent.

Mattresses matter. A regular mattress can go on a hospital bed frame, but a high-quality medical mattress is designed for longer-term use and is more supportive. Some prevent pressure sores. Some are easier to clean. The mattress isn't an afterthought. It matters for comfort and skin health.

Some people add overlays or pads on top of the mattress. Memory foam toppers add softness. Pressure-relieving pads reduce skin breakdown for someone spending extensive time in bed.

Getting One and Paying for It

If your parent's doctor determines that a hospital bed is medically necessary, they'll write a prescription. This prescription goes to a durable medical equipment supplier, usually. Medicare and many insurance plans cover hospital beds when they're prescribed for medical necessity, though they generally cover a basic electric or manual bed, not luxury versions.

To get insurance coverage, your parent usually needs a prescription from their doctor and a diagnosis that qualifies. Your parent's doctor or your parent's insurance can tell you whether a hospital bed is covered and what the process is. Often, the DME supplier handles the insurance paperwork.

Out-of-pocket costs vary widely depending on the bed. A basic manual bed might be a few hundred dollars. An electric bed with upgraded mattress and rails might be several thousand. Some people rent rather than buy, which works well for temporary situations like recovery from surgery. Long-term use makes purchase more economical.

When choosing a supplier, ask whether they deliver and set up. Delivery and assembly matter. A hospital bed isn't something you want to assemble yourself if you don't have to. Ask whether they include mattress, rails, and other standard features. Ask about warranty and service. Ask whether you can return it if it doesn't work for your parent.

Where you place the bed matters. It needs to be positioned so your parent can get in and out easily. If someone is helping them, there needs to be space on both sides for the caregiver to work. Lighting matters. Access to the bathroom matters. Proximity to a call bell or phone for your parent to get help matters.

The Transition

Your parent might have feelings about a hospital bed. It signals something about their health status. It makes their bedroom look medical. They might mourn the loss of the bed they slept in when your parent was healthy, when they weren't thinking about how they'd get up in the morning.

These feelings are real and worth acknowledging. But a hospital bed also allows your parent to stay in their own home longer. It can reduce your parent's pain or difficulty. It can reduce the burden on caregivers. It allows independence in ways that a regular bed might not, because your parent can adjust their position without asking for help.

Frame the bed not as loss but as a tool that keeps your parent in their own home, that keeps them comfortable, that keeps them able to do the things they want to do. The bed is serving your parent. It's not the other way around.

This article provides general information about hospital beds for home use. Your parent's need for a hospital bed and the appropriate type should be determined through consultation with their healthcare provider.