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Do you live with someone who is elderly or disabled? Perhaps you run a facility that cares for patients with mobility issues day in and day out. Either way, you already know the importance of keeping patients or loved ones safe from harms. Very often, it’s the little things you do that make the biggest difference: adjusting the height of a shelf, ensuring that your loved one’s walker is close by, providing in-shower grab bars. These are all a valuable part of safety for those who are mobility-challenged or prone to falls. But what about when your loved one or patient is sleeping? It might surprise you to learn that fall risk doesn’t stop once a patient is neatly tucked into bed. People of all ages can experience falls from the bed itself at night as they roll or adjust position. This is especially common in very young children, people with dementia, people with chronic pain, and those who are feverish or otherwise extremely sick. Unfortunately, all of these patient groups also tend to experience severe after-effects from a fall, including broken bones, bruises, contusions, and head injuries. Installing bed rails for support is one of the best ways to alleviate these issues regardless of age. This article takes a look at the benefits that bed support rails provide to different age groups and people.
For Children
For the littlest of children, transferring to a toddler bed or full-size bed isn’t always easy. Even if kids are completely healthy, they can still experience falls as they get used to the missing crib walls. Some children also feel less secure with open sides around the bed.
One of the best ways to make the early transition to a larger bed easier is to install bed rails for support on your child’s full-size bed. These can be raised or dropped as needed, as well as adjusted in height, so you can slowly taper their use off over time. Your child becomes used to the larger bed at his or her own pace, and you prevent accidental falls at the same time.
Bed support rails can also be useful in situations where children may temporarily need to sleep in a larger bed, such as:
- when a crib breaks
- a child comes to visit
- you take on a foster child
Adding bed rails rails for support can quickly convert a regular bed into a safer solution than just the mattress or sleeping with mom and dad. If you use this method, remember that regular crib rules should still apply–no heavy covers, fluffy pillows, or stuffed animals nearby.
For Seniors
High bed rails for support serve an important function in facilities and homes with a senior who has one of the following conditions.
- Dementia and/or cognitive dysfunction – They effectively prevent a confused individual from attempting to get up and wander off–at least not without making some noise first. Many families who care for these seniors at home use baby monitors to listen in. Whereas they may not necessarily hear a senior sitting up on a regular bed, the bed rails certainly will make enough noise to be heard loud and clear.
- Advanced Alzheimer’s Disease or frontal lobe dementia – These conditions can sometimes come with delusions or panic that can make the affected senior feel as if they need to leap out of bed and run–something that’s just not possible for certain patients. Bed support rails can prevent seniors with these conditions from falling out of bed in a state of confusion.
It is exceptionally common for seniors to want to preserve as much freedom as possible, even when they’re unwell; unfortunately that often results in falls and injuries as they attempt to navigate the room without help. In a hospital or care facility, bed rails sometimes serve as a visual reminder for patients that they can’t do everything on their own safely. Depending on the patient, this may also be valuable at home, too.Generally, if bed rails are used in this fashion, patients should have easy access to a call button or at least have a way to contact a nurse or loved one for help at the same time. Patients should never be left in a bed with rails without monitoring if they have conditions that prevent them from understanding why the rails are there. It will often induce panic and may increase the risk of injuries rather than reducing it.
Though bed rails certainly aren’t the only way to reduce risk for patients in dementia stages, they do add an extra layer of safety in a more robust program.
For Patients Recovering From Injury
Patients of all ages who are recovering from injury, particularly back injuries or broken bones may benefit from the added leverage of bed support rails. While the main goal is to keep these patients from falling out of bed as they sleep, the bed rails have an added side effect of providing a “grip bar” for patients to hold on to when they need to sit, stand, or even transfer to a wheelchair. Bed rails are also appropriate for patients with paralysis for the same reasons.
This can make the first few weeks after an accident much easier to navigate, preserving patient freedom and alleviating the need for round-the-clock nursing care in some cases.
Bed rails for support also increase comfort for patients recovering from injury because they directly facilitate the ability to roll over, turn over, and readjust position, even if the back or lower legs are injured. This allows the patient to stay comfortable and prevent bedsores on their own and at their own pace.
When Bed Rails for Support Shouldn’t Be Used
There are situations where bed rails for support may not be the right choice for patients. Individuals who may be at risk for attempting to climb over or escape the rails alone may be better placed in a bed that’s low to the ground than in a bed with rails. The increased fall height when climbing over the rails can also be a problem for some children.
Issues like these are typically alleviated by using a hospital standard adjustable bed with rails large enough to prevent climbing.
Need information on whether bed rails are right for your home or facility? Contact your local pharmacy for guidance. Most technicians and pharmacists can help you to assess your situation for safety and security needs. If you decide that bed rails are the right choice, your pharmacist can help you measure and fit the right set for your bed.