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Providing safe and dignified care for bariatric patients requires more than just clinical expertise. You need the right equipment for safe handling and safety for these patients. Bariatric beds to support higher weight capacities, bariatric shower chairs for safety and comfort while the patient cleans themselves, bariatric couches which can seat them comfortably and can have them easily get up to walk around. These specialty pieces of equipment play a critical role in both patient care and staff wellbeing.
Healthcare facilities across Australia, aged care homes and community centres are demanding purpose-built bariatric products to not only help their patients, but to make caring for them easier and safer for the staff. Investing in bariatric hoists, scales and chairs is an essential part of delivering quality care.
If you’re looking to outfit a hospital ward, a rehabilitation centre or a home care environment with bariatric equipment, Access Health is here to help. This can be your first step for a more inclusive setting for all patients. This article will look at the essential bariatric equipment you’ll need for safe handling of patients, and safer working conditions for caregivers.
Before we get into the body of this article, let’s have a quick look at what makes a person a bariatric patient, and in need of this equipment.
A bariatric person is one with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or higher. They are considered severely or morbidly obese. They have associated health problems such as Type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea and more.
They are eligible for specialised weight loss treatments and often need tailored care, such as nutritional support and the equipment we will be discussing in this article.
Access Health has available to you a wide range of bariatric equipment, essential for a better quality of life and care. Let’s run through them now.
Bariatric beds are heavy duty beds able to absorb higher weight ranges than normal beds. They are electric beds that can raise up the mattress ends, making it easier for patients to get in and out of bed, plus to make themselves comfortable. Sleeping on their back causes sleep apnoea but some slight elevation can help.
Combined with the bed is an Optimal Pressure Care mattress. This is a static foam pressure care mattress designed for the treatment of pressure injuries, such as bed sores, which bariatric patients can sometimes suffer from.
Access Health has the Series 8000D Double Partner Electric Hospital Bed. This allows two patients to rest together in bed with dignity and comfort. This series of beds is available in double and queen-sized options, has electric Hi Low, head boards, foot boards, under bed lighting and more. Ideal for hospitals and care homes for couples.
We also stock the Access JS Ultra Low Bed for home care and nursing care. The base of the bed has actuator motors to change the dynamic of the bed, for comfort and to assist with patients getting in and out of bed.
The Access Eco Bariatric Ultra Low bed, also for nursing homes and hospitals, has a built-in lifting pole, sometimes called a monkey pole, to help the patient move from the bed into a wheelchair.
Hoists and slings help lift patients and move them around. They also help the caregivers prevent injury from doing so.
These aids are specifically designed to work in and around beds, and to specifically lift people who weigh upwards of 200kg. They have a Safe Working Load (SWL) indicator.
Hoists can be ceiling mounted, especially useful for patients to assist themselves out of bed. And they can be the wheeled variety to help move patients from bedroom to bathroom and such. The environment a patient is in requires a good amount of floor space for the mobile hoists to work efficiently.
Slings are generally reinforced and padded so they are strong and durable but also comfortable for the patient to use.
The Aspire Patient Lifter 200S has an SWL of 200, ergonomic handles and a smooth track for ease of use. It has a good bed clearance, and long wheel base to get beneath beds, which makes patient handling so much easier.
Specialised heavy duty equipment to help bariatric patients to get around daily, these wheelchairs are often extra wide to cater for body size and are often motorised to help with the mobility of someone who weighs more than the average person. They are reinforced to handle the extra weight to prevent breakage and failure.
They can also feature tilt features to assist people out of the chair and assist with safe transfer from chair to bed.
Access Health has a self propelled wheelchair for bariatric patients to help them be more mobile. While bariatric patients do need assistance, we have found that the more independence you can give them, the better for their mental health. Being able to move yourself around, such as this wheelchair, can do a lot for self-esteem.
Other mobility equipment can include folding walking frames. These help a patient exercise but also provide support.
With some bariatric patients, standing for extended periods of time can be painful and not an option. Combine this with the slippery nature of showers and baths, and it could lead to a terrible accident.
Handrails for stability in the shower can be installed, as well as non-slip mats on the floor.
You can also use a shower chair, such as this model with an SWL of 200kg. This is a hospital-grade chair which is rust-resistant, highly durable and designed especially for use in the shower.
This chair has 6 adjustable height settings, raised arm rests making it easy to get into and out of, slip-resistant feet and is lightweight and easy to move around. We stock both a standard sized chair and the wide model.
Bariatric chairs and recliners are heavy duty seating options designed to both hold the higher body weight, and be wider than regular chairs, but also designed to be functional and to assist patients.
These chairs are often fitted with motors for easy adjustment of foot rests and head rests. There are also lift-assist functions to help patients get out of the chairs.
We also have simple seating solutions, such as the Kingston Ergo Chairs which have adjustable heights and a wider seat.
Bariatric treatment couches are heavy duty clinical surfaces designed to safely support higher body weights while providing a wide, stable platform for both the patient and the treating clinician. Like our bariatric chairs, they are built to be functional and assist with a broad range of treatment procedures.
The Plinth Medical Bariatric Bobath Neuro Couch is a purpose-built neurological assessment and treatment couch suitable for both adults and children. It has a safe working load of 320kg and is available in widths of 102cm, 110cm, and 120cm to suit your clinical needs. The height is fully adjustable from 42cm to 91cm, and the couch features retractable castors, hoist clearance, and hardwearing anti-microbial vinyl upholstery. It is available with hydraulic or electric operation, and optional accessories include a foot switch, folding cotside, and paper roll holder.
When choosing the furniture and equipment for your facilities, and focusing on bariatric patients, you need to consider comfort and dignity. How can these patients with special needs carry on with as regular a life as possible without feeling embarrassed about themselves? How can you give these patients as much independence as possible?
You need to assess your facilities before you choose the equipment. The wheeled hoists are excellent items which can help lift and move patients with ease. However, if your floor plan doesn’t allow freedom of movement, then you can’t use them effectively.
Caring for bariatric patients comes with unique challenges but with the right equipment, those challenges become far more manageable. This is true for both the patient and the caregiver.
From bariatric beds and pressure care mattresses, to hoist, shower chairs and wheelchairs, every piece of equipment has a purpose to protect and support the patient, and the staff who help them. The best equipment can make a real difference to a patient’s physical support and recovery and to their mental wellbeing.
At Access Health we know that no two patients, and no two facilities are the same. We offer you a comprehensive range of bariatric support equipment suitable for use in the home, in rehab facilities and aged care homes. Our team is here for you to help find the right equipment to help you and your patients.
Create a safer and more inclusive environment with help from Access Health.
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