How do I find a hospital bed that I can use at home?

Is the problem Mom being able to pull herself up from a laying position? My Mom had a small bedrail. It was about 18 in wide. Part of it went under the mattress and had a strap to anchor it to the other side of the bed. If you search "bedrails" you'll see what I mean. Once she was able to pull herself up, she could use it to help her stand.

I said this in a reply to Barb, Medicare does not buy the bed, they rent it. I think once the price of the bed is met, then its yours. I worked for a VNA and oversaw their loan closet. When a bed was donated, I asked them to check with the provider if it was still being rented because if so, it had to go back to the provided. Also, to get it thru Medicare you need a doctors script and have to show a bed is needed. Be aware that once Medicare pays for a bed, they may not pay for other equipment like a wheelchair. I had a women come into my office who knew what the Medicare rules were. So she borrowed certain equipment from us so she would have no problem with Medicare paying for a bed when needed.

My moms bed had half rails. She had a position for them where they did not block getting in and out of bed but were useful for her to help her pull up when she wanted to get out of bed and did provide a barrier to prevent a fall. Her bed was provided by a DME company. Medicare and her supplement policy paid for the bed. The first one she got was not a good fit. We returned it and got one from a different company that worked better for her. Some show their beds online and you can get an idea before delivery. My mom got up on average of four times a night to use the bedside commode. My mom had CHF and being able to raise the head of the bed really helped her. She generally left it in the same position once she found the one that worked best for her.

My DH aunt has one through hospice. We replaced the half rails with full rails because she got up and fell. It would not be easy for the user to put the rails down while lying in the bed. She doesn’t get up for the commode. Being able to raise the bed height helps the aides bath and change her.

Google DME companies or hospital beds for your city and state and you will be able to see that the different companies use various suppliers. I was able to give my moms medical supply company her doctors name and phone number and they arranged for the prescription.

Have you asked her doctor about getting an Occupational Therapist to evaluate this need?

Doctor could them script the prescribed bed; Medicare to pays for it.