In the current climate accessible care for all has never been so important.
In one US study the prevalence of obesity increased from 16.9% to 25.8% among newly admitted nursing home residents in just ten years (Cai, Rahman et al. 2013). Sadly, alongside increased body mass comes reduced mobility, increased difficulty for care workers when repositioning and a higher risk of having some secondary health issues, all risk factors for pressure ulcer development.
In the same study residents with moderate or severe obesity had, on average, 15.0% higher odds of having pressure ulcers as compared with non-obese residents in the same facility.
With these statistics in mind it’s easy to see why our plus sized patients need to be afforded the right care using the right equipment, which can come with challenges for care homes or for care in the community equipment providers.
Private homes and non-purpose-built nursing homes can have infrastructure issues that hinder plus sized care. In an acute care environment rooms for plus sized patients are recommended to be 17ft wide and 13.5ft long, not including space for furnishings (Muir 2009), quite a challenge to replicate in longer term care settings.
Secondly, many care providers simply do not keep in stock the equipment needed for those at the more extreme definitions of bariatric, or certainly do not have this equipment in quantity.
Finally, it can be a challenge to source all the required equipment simply and easily – a frustration when a new resident is arriving at a care home with specific needs, or a private home needs to be fitted out to allow a patient to be discharged from hospital.
At Harvest Healthcare we aim to relive the stress of sourcing and fitting plus sized equipment, leaving you to focus on providing the best quality care and support. Our plus sized brochure contains our full range, making choosing what you need simple and easy, and our knowledgeable customer services and sales teams can talk you through any tricky situations. Our sister company Prism Medical can also support with ceiling track hoists, an excellent way to make use of smaller spaces.
The Harvest range includes beds, mattresses, hoists and bathroom equipment, all designed to make life easier for residents and for their carers and give everyone access to the love and support they deserve.
Contact us for more information on our plus sized range.
Cai, S., M. Rahman and O. Intrator (2013). “Obesity and pressure ulcers among nursing home residents.” Medical care 51(6): 478-486.
Muir, M. (2009) “Space Planning for the Bariatric Patient.” Bariatric Times.
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