Nursing bed and aids what you should know before buying

In this article we would like to give you more information about general care aids and especially the care bed. As aids count all devices and material means, which are above all in the domestic (or ambulatory) care of NEED, a care bed lays the foundation-stone for a safe and dignified care.

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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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1. What is a nursing bed?

A healthcare bed is a special bed designed to meet the needs of people who are subject to severe physical limitations. This is often accompanied by a care level. These special beds offer a great support for caregivers as well as for people in need of care. They are widely used not only in inpatient care, but also in outpatient/ home care, hospital or nursing homes. A healthcare bed is characterized by the following features:

• The basic features are defined by standards and laws
• Regular testing is required
• The seat and reclining position is multi-adjustable
• The height is adjustable
• Lockable castors are available
• It must be possible to attach an upright or bed rail

The care bed can be used either temporarily, but may also be needed permanently. Since one can be dependent on a nursing bed for the most different reasons and situations in life, there are many different variants and designs.

What is the difference between a nursing bed and a hospital bed??
Often these two terms are used synonymously. the only difference is who pays for the nursing bed. If the health insurance company is the payer, the correct designation is hospital bed. Therefore, if the nursing care insurance fund finances the special bed, the bed is called a nursing care bed. Basically, it can be said that the application and the assumption of costs are strongly dependent on the individual case.

2. Does the health insurance pay for a nursing bed??

The costs are covered by the nursing care insurance if the respective requested nursing care aid contributes significantly to facilitating the nursing care of the person or the person in need of nursing care. To alleviate discomfort. Expenses are also covered if they enable the person in need of care to lead a more independent life, such as a barrier-free bathroom.

If you are not sure which care aids are available or which are not, you can apply for a bed. partly also on loan, you can check it here in the care aid directory.

The person in need of care must pay a contribution of ten percent of the costs for technical care aids, up to a maximum of 25 euros. A typical technical care aid is the care bed.

Especially in the home care it is useful and facilitating to apply for a nursing bed or to get a prescription. to own. Just like a practical home emergency call for everyday life, it can make a significant contribution to improving the care provided by family members or the mobile care service. If the person in need of care suffers from dementia, for example, special beds (so-called low-floor beds) additionally prevent the person from falling out of the bed. There are suitable beds for every situation, as well as special nursing bed accessories. The various models will be discussed in more detail later in this article.

3. How to apply for a nursing bed?

Apply for a care bed – Simple in 3 steps

Step 1 – Go to the attending physician
Register with the attending physician of the person in need of care

Step 2 – Have a prescription issued
The doctor issues a prescription, similar to a prescription

Step 3 – Ensure note& Make the request
Notes "bed suitable for the handicapped" and check medical necessity

Should you or. If the person in need of care has not yet been assigned a care degree, you can still apply for a special bed. Although an application to the statutory health insurance varies depending on the insurer, there are some tips& Tricks you should know. This applies to all aids such as beds or stair lifts for seniors, which you can compare here.

First of all go to the attending physician. A so-called prescription is then issued for the application, similar to a prescription. With this prescription, the designation "bed suitable for the disabled" and the note that it is necessary and essential from a medical point of view.

It may be helpful for the physician to justify the necessity of the prescription in more detail in a few bullet points and, if necessary, to provide an explanation. describes existing limitations of independence.

It is also helpful to mention the respective product group in the catalog of the statutory health insurers. The special bed is listed in product group 19 nursing articles. Since the 01. From January 2022, it will also be possible for nursing staff to make a recommendation for a suitable aid.

3.1. Application with care degree at the care insurance

If you need a nursing care bed and already have a nursing care degree, apply to the nursing care insurance fund. In addition, according to § 40 SGB XI, the following criteria must be met:

1. It serves to facilitate care.
2. It alleviates the discomfort of the person in need of care.
3. The care bed enables the person in need of care to lead an independent life.

No prescription is needed for the application. However, according to various guides, it is advisable to enclose a statement from the attending physician(s). It is also advisable to indicate the number in the GKV list of medical aids. This is product group 50, care aids to facilitate care → application site 45, care area → subgroup 01, care beds. With this procedure, an approval can often be accelerated.

By the way, you can not only apply for the cost of the nursing bed, because additional things such as the cost of electricity for this aid can be paid by the health insurance on application.

3.2. Application rejected – What you can do

You can apply to the health insurance company and the nursing care insurance company
Should the health insurance company refuse to cover the costs, for example, this does not automatically mean that the nursing care insurance company will reject the application and vice versa. If the requirements for approval are basically met, it is always worthwhile to try the other payer.

In the case of private health insurance, you must purchase the aid yourself after approval and then submit the invoice to your private health insurance company for reimbursement. If the application is rejected, you still have the option to appeal. However, this should be done within one month.

4. Buying or renting care beds

Rent a nursing bed – always possible thanks to the health insurance company

It is important to know that health insurance companies are legally obliged to provide insured persons with technical aids on loan through a contractual partner. Even if the care bed is used, it is checked and prepared just like all other used aids.

The prescription is checked by the health insurance companies, sometimes a cost estimate is also required. If the special bed was approved, you can order the aid with the approved prescription at a recognized medical supply store. Recognized in this case are always the medical supply stores and rehabilitation stores, which are contractual partners of your health insurance company.

If your application for a special bed is rejected, you can of course first file an appeal. If this is also unsuccessful, there is still the possibility to purchase it yourself. However, some portals also advise you to buy a care bed yourself, despite the approval. This is because the health or. Nursing care insurance companies often only approve the standard models. However, these often do not meet the requirements of the caregiver and/or the person in need of care. Also optically more attractive beds, which fit into their respective residential ambience, are not taken over. However, many people want this technical (care) aid to fit into the overall design of the home and not look like a classic hospital bed. In addition, the self-financed beds are not only from the design, but also from the technology, on the newest state and presumably faster deliverable.

If the decision has been made that the bed should be purchased privately, it is definitely worthwhile to sift through offers from various providers. Both online, as well as from various health stores.

Depending on the equipment, functions and design, you may have to pay between 500€ – 7.pay € 000. Often special beds can also be rented and are either new or used. When renting a care bed, please make sure that you inform yourself sufficiently in advance, otherwise it can turn out to be a cost trap. The most important thing is how long you need the special bed and what conditions are offered to you. Remember that regardless of your decision (rent or buy), the nursing mattress must always be purchased new for hygienic reasons. As a general rule, however, it can be said that if it is already foreseeable that care will be necessary in the long term (i.e. several years), it is cheaper to buy a bed.

4.1. Rent a care bed? The advantages and disadvantages

In your research for providers, you will quickly notice that some have specialized in pure rental. The rental prices are based on the duration of use and can therefore quickly reach 800€ per year. This amount plus the purchase of the new nursing bed mattress (300-600€ ) must be carefully calculated. Ask when renting for the specific costs per month or. per year and what additional fees they have to expect. This is the only way to make an adequate comparison between a new acquisition or a rental.

4.1.1. Advantages of renting

• After the rental period, the bed can simply be returned
• At the beginning no larger payment is due on your part
• A short-term care phase can be bridged in this way

4.1.2. Disadvantages of the rent

• Purchase and final disposal of the nursing mattress
• Over a longer care period, renting is more expensive than buying
• Choice of providers is more manageable
• A rented bed will often also be a used bed

5. How do I recognize a suitable nursing home bed??

Care beds are characterized by various functions that make them irreplaceable for care, both for the caregiver(s) and the person concerned. Here it is not only about necessary physiotherapy or personal hygiene, but also about the everyday getting up or eating, which is facilitated by this aid.

With the selection one should attach importance to certain characteristics, because the offer is large. In general, these special beds are subject to strict requirements and are regularly inspected. Today's care beds have an appealing, modern design and blend in well with your living environment. Nevertheless, the following points should be taken into account to ensure that all necessary needs are met:

5.1. The right size

There are care beds with a width of 90 to 120 cm and lengths of 190 to 220 cm. You should already be aware of what size you need for the person in need of care before you purchase it. The most popular size is a nursing bed in 100×200 cm or 140×200 cm.

5.2. Flexible adjustability

An adjustable slatted frame allows different lying positions, which is especially important for bedridden people. Partially there are models, with which all ranges, as bspw. Let head, back and legs adjust independently.

An electrically adjustable back allows the person in need of care to have stable support in a sitting or semi-sitting position without the use of an additional cushion. Remote control handling allows this to be achieved without assistance, if still possible.

The ability to have a height-adjustable bed surface not only saves the caregiver's back, but also makes it easier to get in and out of bed. Exit for the person in need of care represents.

5.3. Safety and hygiene

The safety of nursing beds is particularly important for patients who are bedridden, as they are used here primarily to prevent falls. Here, either special low-floor beds are used or bed rails. The former has the advantage that these beds can be lowered to up to 20 cm and, unlike bed rails, do not give people the feeling of being caged in. Dementia patients often have such low-floor nursing beds.

Side rails can be pushed up if necessary and have the advantage that they can be added to most normal beds already for about 30€.

Another important safety and hygiene aspect are safely lockable casters with a minimum diameter of 10 cm. The bed frame is held by the base frame on rollers to ensure easy movement of the bed.

5.4. Care bed accessories

Another important element in the choice of a nursing bed is the mattress. It should be tailored to the individual body dimensions. There are also specialty mattresses, such as pressure distribution mattresses, that can be useful in the care process. Other accessories would be for example:

• Positioning and raising aids (triangle handle)
• Bed protection pads (incontinence covers)
• Bed rails and/or restraints
• Infusion Holder
• Footrests
• Special pillows
• Sensor mats
• Rollable bedside tables

6. What models of nursing beds are available?

6.1. Heavy duty beds

When purchasing, keep in mind that the safety of a specialty bed is only guaranteed up to a load specified by the manufacturer. However, the actual load ultimately results from the sum of the patient's weight plus the payload. This should add ca. Be 30% less than the manufacturer's stated workload. If the patient/care recipient is overweight or obese, special heavy-duty beds are also available. These provide the person with a wider lying surface (z.B. 120x200cm).

6.2. Side storage beds

There are also so-called side bedding systems that slowly and automatically move the person in bed ca. 30° rearranged. This serves the decubitus prevention and / or therapy. A care bed mattress of the Dekubitus Prophylaxe works for this model additionally supplementing.

Other models of specialty beds include sit-to-stand beds, which offer an additional sitting position and a stand-up position.

6.3. Nursing bed insert

If you wish to continue using your existing bed (the marriage bed is a priority here), there are also special bed inserts (bed-in-bed systems / electrically adjustable insert frames). Here, the slatted frame is replaced with the electrically adjustable insert frame. With this bed-in-bed system, the height and the head or. Footrest surface can be adjusted via a hand switch. This version of a nursing bed increases the independence of the patient(s) enormously.

6.4. Smart care beds

Another interesting change within healthcare is represented by digitalization – this is increasingly finding its way into care facilities as well. So-called "intelligent care beds" or care beds 4.0" the care additionally enormously.

Functions include the ability to feed important personal and vital data directly into digital nursing documentation. It also has sensor-based monitors that detect when and how a patient is moving.

Family members are given control via an app on their smartphone, and much more. This also ensures a central information infrastructure. The main goal of these smart assistance systems is to allow more time for the care of the person(s) with the condition.