Saturday, June 6, 2020

Getting a Hospital Bed



Medicaid/Medicare will provide a hospital bed, but you need a prescription. I needed a prescription for this one. You usually order through your local medical supply store. My first bed was ordered and arranged by the hospital social worker. Subsequent beds were done by myself and family. I'm on my third bed. (I'm not dead yet. Someone needs to tell the government that people aren't dying like they used to.) 

Monthly share of cost may apply. I get mine waived due to low income. Private insurance may do the same. You have to check.


The standard bed looks like this. 



A standard bed is provided where the head goes up and down. A mattress is there, unlike the picture. That hand crank controls the leg height. There's a separate head control that is done with an electric hand-held remote.

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If you are not sure about where your local medical supply is, ask the receptionist or a nurse at your doctor's office. They used to be the only place in town to get medical scrubs, the uniform we see. Other stores now carry them and I bet many people are relieved.

Some towns have more than one medical supply, and some towns don't have any.

There are medical supply stores on-line. I will use them if the deal is good and the shipping is low. You want to know where your  local store is, though. You may need something now!



Friday, February 28, 2020

Head Over Wheels



"Stand behind the wheelchair because I don't know if it has anti-tip bars," I told my daughter.

She got behind it and pushed down. The chair tilted back and went to the floor. 

Oh my!

This can be remedied. These bars are sold separately. A caregiver will want them with a total care patient. A person who has the ability to manipulate a manual chair may not need them and find them to be a hindrance. I am total care, but I talk and have my mental faculties. It presents an unusual situation. 

I got a new wheelchair for travel. I have an electric wheelchair. I don't have a wheelchair van. I don't want one. The electric wheelchairs are very heavy. You can't lift the one I have. A lighter, manual chair that folds to be put in the trunk of a car is needed.

It would have been nice if my new wheelchair came with anti-tip bars. It didn't have a seatbelt, either. I got that first. I'm getting a seat cushion next.

A conspiracy theory is going to develop about wheelchairs without safety devices. I don't believe that stuff. I think my new wheelchair is pretty and cheap.



I'll shop around, but 
I like these.



This picture looks useful.