My father (88) frequently falls getting into bed. He somehow slides off and ends up on the floor, and cannot get up. Is there a better bed?

If the problem is the bed is too high, you can get 5 inch high boxspring. I have one on my bed and had one on Moms.

My mom was falling at least once a week by sliding off the bed, either getting in, getting out, or just sitting up on the edge of it to drink water. It was absolutely because the bed was too high (mattress and box spring).  We had an OT come in and check things out.  The OT recommended a bed rail for the short term, suggested a lower bed in addition to that, but thought we should really just get a hospital bed because she'd need it before too long.

So we went ahead and got the hospital bed.  It can be raised or lowered electronically. It can also be raised or lowered at the top or at the knees.  A lower regular bed probably would have been just as good, but the hospital bed is a free loan (we're in Canada) now that mom qualifies for palliative benefits.  She hasn't had any sliding-off-the-bed falls since we got it.  (The bed rails attached to the hospital bed are also helpful in giving her something to hang onto when she gets in or out....you can get a bed rail that just slides under a regular mattress, too.) 

My DW slid off once and we (she & I) could not get her up. I had to call the non -emergency number for help.
After that I build her a step to help her reach the floor and installed one of the inverted "U" shaped rails. No more slips. The step is 4& one quarter inches high. width and length to fit. She is 4ft 10inches tall.

hospice brought my dad one of those canoe type mattresses, it sort of reminds me of what those half pipes look like for snow boarding at the Olympics - especially since it is white, you could imagine little show boarders sailing down it It has not been foolproof, but much better than before where my dad was either falling or climbing out of bed nightly

I just checked amazon and there were 399 results for bed assist rails... lots of different styles and prices to choose from. There are also low profile box springs available to bring the height of the bed lower without spending big $$ on a completely new bed.

My mother slid out of her bed. We put a folding mattress bed board between her box spring and mattress. Big Improvement. The bed rail that Ahmijoy describes serves a similar purpose by placing a stiff board under the mattress, and also provides a hand support to pull yourself into a sitting position. My husband loved it. And the friend I loaned it to after she had a stroke said she didn't know how she would have gotten in and out without it. This is an example very like the one we used: parentgiving.com/shop/home-bed-assist-rail-and-bed-board-combo-5960/p/

When Mom was in her apartment she had a very thick mattress and box spring up on a frame. One night she slid off getting onto the bed and cut her leg badly on a metal brace on the frame. Which caused weeks of going to the wound doctor. We removed the frame entirely and put the box spring and mattress right on the floor. It was perfect height for her to sit easily. And one less place for her cat to hide.

You might also look at a halo bed rail/safety ring. This worked wonders for MIL

I had that issue with hubby. Also one if those high mattresses. I got a bed rail that the base of which slid between the box spring and mattress. (Amazon) it was solid and he could brace himself on that while I slid his feet onto the bed.

I don't know if these are available outside of health care facilities, but the staff switched my father's alternating pressure pad to one with high sides after he fell out and onto the floor. It was something like a small canoe, i.e., with sides that rose vertically. The sides weren't very high; I'm not sure if they really made much of a difference.

Are the falls primarily getting INTO bed, and not just sliding off? If so, then an OT observation would be an excellent idea. Perhaps he's not sitting down far enough into the bed to be able to stay on it.

Are you using any of the protection pads, about 2.5' x 2.5'? They might help.

Another option is to put a bar or two , in the shape of a giant upside down U, to block his fall. But with this, you run the risk of his head getting in between the bars and possibly being injured.

Yes, I would have OT look at the bed situation

We had gotten one of those bed in a box mattresses and it was so soft that my mom just slid off. Every older person in my family was asked if it would be ok to cut off the bed legs a couple of inches and this helped also. At least they would have further to fall. Make sure the sheets are not satiny - some cotton sateen sheets caused my mom to slide off also. The metal handles that you can buy which slip under the mattress have helped. I took the boxspring off and attached the handle directly to the slats and she has not slid off bed lately.
My experience with elderly family members with dementia is that they seem to never remember what the therapist said to do, so not sure if it would help but it's worth a try.

Lineaekk, seems like today's mattresses are so high compared to mattresses from a couple of decades ago. Even I have trouble trying to climb into bed, made me wish I kept my old mattress.

Now, is your Dad sliding off because the edges of the mattress have worn to a point where they are no longer stiff? My parent's mattress was like that.

I think it is an excellent idea to have your Dad's primary doctor write a script for some type of physical therapy to help Dad learn a new way of getting into bed, I believe Medicare would pay for the therapy. Then that way you can tell if Dad needs a hospital bed, which can be lowered, or if he can now be able to use his current bed.