Heart health affects our quality of life, our ability to work and enjoy our leisure time, and, ultimately, our lifespan. Those of us who are able-bodied and fit are capable of managing heart health without the help of medical equipment like a home hospital bed. But that’s not true for everyone.
Elderly and disabled people, people with mobility issues and bodily weakness, and especially people with a history of coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure face many challenges maintaining the day-to-day routines that contribute to heart health.
For these people, a home hospital bed is an essential piece of equipment for promoting and maintaining heart health.
Get In and Out of Bed More Easily
Activity is one of the most important components of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Medical professionals advise that people, including those with pre-existing heart conditions, should get regular exercise. Some people cannot get out of bed, and we have written previously about exercising while bedridden. But for most people, exercise means getting out of bed and moving.
Getting out of bed is a struggle for many, which discourages them from engaging in even minimal activity. Home hospital beds are designed to make it easier and safer for people with limited mobility and strength to get on their feet or to transfer to a wheelchair.
Home hospital beds such as the Supernal 5 are fitted with a range of adjustments that make it easier to sit up, stand up, and transfer. The bed’s height adjustment means that it can be set to just the right height to reduce the effort and risk involved. For patients with existing heart conditions, even the strain of sitting up from a supine position can pose a threat. The head adjustment of a home hospital bed can gently lift them into a sitting position with minimal exertion.
The Cardiac Chair Position
Many years ago, people who were suffering from congestive heart failure or who had suffered a heart attack were advised to take long-term bed rest. Today, it is understood that, although rest is often essential, remaining in the supine position (lying on your back) for extended periods does not help with recovery.
Today, heart patients are typically moved to a cardiac chair during their recovery. Advanced hospital beds, including the Supernal 5, have adjustments that allow them to be reconfigured as a cardiac chair, gently raising the patient from a supine sleeping position to a sitting position without effort or strain.
Elevate Feet to Reduce Edema and Improve Circulation
Edema is a common consequence of poor circulation and heart conditions. Edema is the medical name for a type of swelling that occurs when excessive fluids gather in the tissues of your body. For bedridden patients and others with circulatory problems, leg edema is a particular challenge because blood and fluids accumulate in the lower limbs.
To reduce the risk of edema, medical professionals advise patients to lie with their legs elevated above the level of their heart. Gravity helps the blood to flow back towards the heart for recirculation, rather than gathering in the limbs.
Home hospital beds feature foot adjustments that can elevate the feet to the correct position, as well as tilt adjustments that put the patient in the Trendelenburg position.
Reduce the Risk of Bedsores and Speed Up Healing
People with severe heart conditions and other health problems may find themselves confined to bed for long periods. Bedridden people are prone to developing pressure sores, which are also known as pressure ulcers, bedsores, or decubitus ulcers.
Pressure sores are caused by prolonged pressure on the skin and the underlying tissues. The seriousness of pressure sores ranges from minor irritation to life-threatening wounds that penetrate to the bone. Home hospital beds and mattresses are designed to reduce the incidence of bedsores by distributing force to lessen the amount of pressure vulnerable areas of the body experience.
Mattresses from the Transfer Master Supernal Sleep System use progressive laminated foams or memory foam to reduce the risk of pressure sores. For those who are already affected by pressure sores, pressure-relief mattresses promote healing by managing and adjusting pressure via a series of interconnected air cylinders.
A home hospital bed with an appropriate mattress can help the elderly, disabled, and people with heart conditions to maintain the health of their heart, to heal more quickly, and to endure long-periods in bed in comfort.
To learn more about home hospital beds and to get advice from hospital bed experts, contact us today.
