Healthcare Mattresses For Plus-Size Patients
Published 24th July 2023
Healthcare mattresses have always had to meet a wide range of demands, from comfort to safety, pressure relief to infection control. However, increasingly, they are having to meet an even wider range of needs for larger patients, as the issue of obesity increases in the UK population.
But what exactly are these increasing demands, and how are Redwood rising to the challenge of protecting the safety, comfort and dignity of larger patients in our hospitals and care homes?
How big a problem is obesity?
Obesity is a significant issue in Britain today, with the NHS having to deal with more plus-sized patients than ever before. In England, as many as 28% of people are obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. Of these, around 12.5% are what used to be described as morbidly obese, with a BMI of 40 or more (or 35+ with obesity related complications). This is now called type III obesity.
Since obesity is often associated with deprivation and poor diet, the current cost of living crisis is only going to make matters worse. Providing the correct equipment for obese patients has never been more important.
Beds and mattresses for plus size patients
Naturally, obese patients require healthcare mattresses and beds that are larger than the standard issue. Without them, staff will encounter significant issues with turning and moving patients, as well as problems fitting in all the additional monitors and equipment needed for modern healthcare.
Unless a patient can be regularly turned and repositioned, then the risk of pressure ulcers, or bed sores, increases substantially. Larger patients may also suffer discomfort and pressure issues if their limbs extend beyond the mattress onto hard bedframes and cot sides.
Handling and transferring larger people
Manual handling of patients is already a key area in healthcare safety, both for the patients themselves and for the staff moving them. Add in the extra weight and physical bulk of plus-size patients and performing safe transfers becomes an even more ***complex issue.
As a specialist technical textile manufacturer, Redwood can supply a range of both high-slip and non-slip fabrics for patient transfer equipment. These make manual handling simpler and safer, even for the largest patients, whether you’re turning them in bed or transferring from bed to chair.
Protecting dignity as well as health
Of course, having the right equipment for plus-size patients is not just about their medical and safety needs. Correctly sized healthcare mattresses and beds also go a long way in protecting the dignity of these patients at a time when they are feeling at their most vulnerable.
Everyone has the right to dignified, personalised care that is appropriate and effective for them. Here at Redwood, we can help you to provide all of that and more with our bespoke healthcare mattress range.
Plus size care in the community
The rise in obesity not only affects primary care settings, such as hospitals, but also extends into the wider care community. At Redwood, we work with leading care and nursing homes to ensure that they can provide their patients with appropriate, comfortable and safe healthcare beds and other equipment, whatever their size.
With rapid discharge from hospitals increasing all the time, appropriate community care facilities have never been more important. Redwood are proud to play our part in creating a dignified environment for plus-size patients, and in creating a safe working environment for care home staff.
Made to measure healthcare mattresses
To find out more about bespoke healthcare mattress manufacturing for hospitals and care homes, as well as our range of manual handling equipment for patients of all sizes, talk to the team at Redwood today. Obesity may be a relatively new issue, but it is one where our decades of experience and expertise can make a real difference.
