The preventative fixation policy in residential care centres remains a topic for discussion. A recent report from the Flemish Agency for Care and Health (Vlaams Agentschap Zorg en Gezondheid) showed that more than 40 per cent of residents are restrained in bed at night (20 per cent during the day) in a way that raises questions. But what is the alternative?
Care on a human scale
Fixation in residential care centres is primarily used to prevent falls: these are a common occurrence and the risk increases for people with mental disorders. To prevent the elderly falling out of bed, gates are generally fitted to the sides of the bed. In exceptional cases residents are also buckled at hips and abdomen. Yet care providers are agreed that such forms of fixation are not always necessary. They may even lead to physical injuries and cause psychological problems, such as distress or agitation, not to mention having a stigmatising effect; nobody likes to see their parents or grandparents ‘imprisoned’ in bed. Fortunately, there are fixation-friendly alternatives.
Formidabel: a flexible care bed
Residential care centres nowadays already use a whole host of techniques to keep their residents safe and comfortable in bed and reduce the risk of falls. As part of this, they try to reproduce the relaxed atmosphere of home as closely as possible. After all, a feeling of recognition creates calm, and bed manufacturers, too, are fully adapting to this.
This is how, two years ago, Moments, as a specialist in care beds, came to develop Formidabel, the very first care bed that is fully fixation-free in its initial phase, but which can be converted into a bed that seamlessly reconciles freedom and safety. Due to its attractive design and high-quality finish, the bed does not have a stigmatising ‘look’ at all, but instead has a homely appearance. It is a bed that can fit in easily in the home environment.
The Formidabel bed also distinguishes itself from a traditional care bed thanks to the unusual lateral protection: no fixed rails running the length of the bed, but instead a stable telescopic frame that can be stowed away in the bed and is covered in a soft, transparent textile fabric (with antibacterial coating compliant with care sector standards). The frame is steplessly extendible to a maximum height and can act as a stand assist. Unlike conventional bed gates, the protection is only fitted to the bed if it is really necessary. Installation is simple. The nurses can do it themselves, without tools or the help of the technical service.
The Formidabel care beds are also easily adjustable in length and can be extended by up to 20 cm (without replacing the bed gates). The height can be adjusted automatically using a handset: for sleeping, the care bed can be placed a mere 23 cm from the floor and the seating height is 45 cm, which allows people to get out of bed quickly using the stand assist. The care height can be set at 80 cm, for the comfort of the nursing staff.
In short, the Formidabel care bed can be flexibly adapted to the needs of the user, giving them a feeling of comfort and relaxation at any time, in any situation. Lastly, because the bed is modular, it gives residential care centres more opportunities to invest efficiently in exactly those models that best suit the profile of their residents. Various options are available.
With the Formidabel range Moments is therefore providing an answer not only to the demand for fixation-friendly care furniture, but is also contributing to cost-effective and more warm-hearted care.
Interested in finding out more about how our care furniture can shed new light on the fixation policy in residential and care centres? Feel free to contact us.