Kind of bed to buy

[Diane]

Hi, everyone. My husband is having difficulty getting into and out of our bed, and trouble putting the covers over himself after he returns to bed in middle of the night. We are going to buy a bed, but he doesn't want a hospital bed. Is there any bed any of you know of, that will help with this problem? I have heard of mechanical beds which are controlled separately for each side. Does this kind of bed assist in getting into or out of the bed?

Thanks
Diane

[parkie]

Hi Diane,
I have no advise I can give you regarding suitable beds, but a firm mattress and silk sheets help when moving about in bed.
Regarding covers, a single duvet is easier to push off and pull back. As regards getting out of bed I find that once you push the covers off the best way to get out of bed is to lay on your back and bring your knees up to your chest.Clasp your knees to your chest at the same time waggle your feet to stretch your calf muscles at least 10 times.This also helps to get the stiffness out of your legs,then release your legs and kick out strongly to straighten your legs, this pulls you into a sitting position, so that you can then swing your legs off the bed.
Carrying on from that stage of getting up the problems continue with putting on pants trousers and socks. To solve the problem of lack of balance standing on one leg I lean my behind on a wall whilst pulling up pants and trousers,as for socks, the problem of is trying to get your knee up high enough to put your sock on, I find it helps to sit on the bed
(after flexing your legs by your earlier efforts) and to rest your heel on the top edge of the bed base below the mattress. Now you can reach your foot easier to put on your socks

[Pauline]

Hi Dianne
I have one of those mechanical beds and I really like it you can put the head of the bed right up so you don't have as far to push your self up and I have trouble sleeping and I find having the head elevated it helps plus I think way down the road when I may need more help it will be easier plus I can put my bed up or down and it doesn't bother John plus he snores and he finds elevating the bed slightly helps him there expensive but have a life time guarantee except the mattress which has a 25 yr guarantee as far as covers I find a duvet is easier it's not as heavy but still warm hope this helps Pauline

[MargieB]

Originally Posted by Diane

Hi, everyone. My husband is having difficulty getting into and out of our bed, and trouble putting the covers over himself after he returns to bed in middle of the night. We are going to buy a bed, but he doesn't want a hospital bed. Is there any bed any of you know of, that will help with this problem? I have heard of mechanical beds which are controlled separately for each side. Does this kind of bed assist in getting into or out of the bed?

Thanks
Diane

Hi Diane,

My husband Tony also has great difficulty in getting in to bed and out. We have bought two different beds already but neither one has helped him in any way. His legs are very stiff and he pulls on a hand rail while I lift and push his legs until he is in a comfortable position. As far as putting the covers on himself, he can't do that very well.

If you do find out from one of our friends here on the Forum what kind of bed to buy, it would help us out also.

Diane, on another topic, I just found/read your May 19th post to me. I'm so sorry I never saw it before. I get a bit confused with all the topics on the forum and don't have the time each day to read all of them. If I have missed others you have written to me, please forgive me if I didn't answer.

Thank you for asking about Tony. He is still not 100% after his last fall. He is afraid of falling again and doesn't trust himself as much as he did. It will take time, but knowing Tony I believe he will be ok and trust himself again.

Thank you for typing out all the help information for photobucket for me. It's uncanny that the day I finally learn how to do it, I read your guides. You, Heather and ltd_addition were so good to do all this for me. I'm so grateful for all of you. It's comforting to be among such good friends.

Here's a special picture for you. Enjoy.

Talk with you soon. I'll scout around for your posts...and you can scout around for mine. Please be patient with me. Thank you.

Margie

[heatherwilmot]

Originally Posted by parkie

Hi Diane,
I have no advise I can give you regarding suitable beds, but a firm mattress and silk sheets help when moving about in bed.
Regarding covers, a single duvet is easier to push off and pull back. As regards getting out of bed I find that once you push the covers off the best way to get out of bed is to lay on your back and bring your knees up to your chest.Clasp your knees to your chest at the same time waggle your feet to stretch your calf muscles at least 10 times.This also helps to get the stiffness out of your legs,then release your legs and kick out strongly to straighten your legs, this pulls you into a sitting position, so that you can then swing your legs off the bed.
Carrying on from that stage of getting up the problems continue with putting on pants trousers and socks. To solve the problem of lack of balance standing on one leg I lean my behind on a wall whilst pulling up pants and trousers,as for socks, the problem of is trying to get your knee up high enough to put your sock on, I find it helps to sit on the bed
(after flexing your legs by your earlier efforts) and to rest your heel on the top edge of the bed base below the mattress. Now you can reach your foot easier to put on your socks

Hi Dianne, just saw your letter re beds.

Difficult to respond from England to America and Africa. We all seem to have the same problems but different so to speak.
regarding getting out of bed, I will start with getting in. I have a mechanical bed, well we have one each, they work independently. I also have a memory mattress and pillow, wonderful. Yes to satin nightwear, easier for women than men! plus satin sheets. does make moving easier. I have to get in on my left side, I stay in that position, I think, and to get up I have to roll, oh so slowly to the side of the bed, wriggle really, drop my feet over the side, these beds are quite high, and I have a frame which I have by the side of the bed, and I use it to pull myself up. (All this takes time of course but I have plenty of that.) As I get up at 5 / 6 am this means I can get up when I like and not disturb my husband for a couple of hours, I go into My Study, next to bedroom and either use my PC or watch Sky. Don't know if this will help, but we just have to try everything to find which suits us best. Good luck. Heather (P)

[heather]

Hi all
We bought two single mechanical beds, before Jim got his hospital bed down satires, they are great the feet go up and head, so when he wanted to sit up to eat, or elevate his legs
he could do it himself, he also had a hand rail, that tucked under the mattress.

I also put 4 buttons on the top end of the quilt cover, and bought him some men's braces [the type with button holes, not clasp] , and fasend the braces to the buttons , so he could pull the quilt cover back over him.It does take a little practice
hope this makes sense

[Diane]

Hi, Heather. Thanks for the info about the bed and bedding. I do have one small problem, however: I don't know what "men's braces" means. Is this another name for something we call by a different name in USA? Could it be the same as suspenders? That is what we (in Texas) call the straps which attach to the pants in the back, then cross over each other in back and go over the shoulders, and stretch across the stomach to fasten again to the pants in front. I can "see" how this could work the way you describe, and the fasteners on suspenders can be either buttons or clasps. It is a really good idea!

Diane

[heather]

Hi Diane

sorry yes ,

clasps no good they come off when you pull on them

we say suspenders to hold up stocking male and female

I did try Velcro, but it came apart

but i did use Velcro instead of zip and buttons on his trousers

[Orlan]

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Hi,
My wife and I bought one of those Sleep# beds.You select whether you want it soft or hard. I find it very difficult to get out of bed in morning, or during night to go to bath room.I take my medication and about 30 minutes I can work my way up. I possibly should have bought a bed that raises my head.

When I go to bed, I take a sleeping pill called Trazadone and Clozabam, and CR Sinemet. Being off any medication for 9 hours, I am very weak.

So that's my story.

Orlan

[heather]

Hi Orlan
not sure where you come from
In the Uk, you can get a back rest from the Occupational therapist , or may be PD nurse , and a rail the goes under the mattress , this may help, the head raising one is a great help,