Bed Prescription
Community Therapy employs wonderful Occupational Therapists who are experienced with the prescription of beds and assessing environments.
Our services take place at peoples homes, which can be a private residence, residential aged care facility, shared accommodation or other living environment.
Sleep is an important aspect of daily life that can be optimised to improve safety, function and independence.
Community Therapy works with adults (over 18). We are mobile across the Hunter, Newcastle, Port Stephens and the Central Coast.
Mobile Occupational Therapy Service
Individualised Approach
There are many different types of beds. With the emergence of increased funding options through home care packages and NDIS funding, the different types of options for beds and mattresses have continued to evolve from different equipment suppliers.
Most mattresses are standardised in their structure in terms of size, mattress options and adjustability. However, there are customisations, in particular, high-end clinical mattresses in terms of pressure area support and controls.
The interplay between all of the different options, and knowledge of all of those options, is where a skilled Occupational Therapist is engaged to support a consumer to pick the most suitable bed for their current and future needs.
Services at Community Therapy
Referring
Referrals for an assessment and prescription of bed or adjustable bed is quite a common referral that we will receive. Our Occupation Therapy team primarily works with older adults and people living with disabilities.
Please use our contact or referrals page to start the process.
Comprehensive Assessment
Our OT will see our client in their home and conduct a full clinical assessment of their environment. This includes reviewing how the client moves to ensure the variances of the bed and mattress are considered.
An adjustable bed may seem like a simple piece of equipment to prescribe, however, there are many environmental scenarios and clinical indications to consider.
An OT is able to provide a comprehensive assessment to ensure the best bed and mattress options. The OT will also consider adjunctive equipment (i.e. bed rails, monkey bars, pillows, wedges and poles) that can be appropriately fitted to the bed.
Long Term Considerations
The OT is able to discuss with somebody how that piece of equipment will be able to support them as their lives change across the years ahead to ensure that it remains a suitable piece of equipment for many years in the future.
Bedding – An Important Piece of Assistive Equipment
We know that sleep hygiene and having a restful night is an important part of having a balanced and meaningful life. Having the right bed, mattress and accessibility transferring onto and off the bed in the most independent manner is an important part of life.
Often, the feedback that we receive is that:
- People have never felt so comfortable, that they have never had such a wonderful night of sleep
- Breathing is easier (especially for those living with a respiratory condition), and they’re now able to sleep in a comfortable position
- People have stated that they have decreased their chronic pain, as well as improved their management of a pressure area
Holistic Assessments by Community Therapy
An important part of a bed assessment is a full environmental assessment.
This is where an OT will comprehensively assess a person’s home and community access. For example, the lighting, floor surfaces, bedroom thresholds, hallways, dressers and windows are all considered.
This is part of a holistic approach to healthcare. The overarching objective of Community Therapy is to help people improve safety, function, independence and progress towards their meaningful goals.
Are you an OT or Allied Health Professional wanting to learn more about prescribing electric profiling beds? Our on-demand 20 minute course will give you an understanding of the assessment and considerations when prescribing beds and how to support your clients function.
Who is Appropriate for a Bed Prescription?
Referrals for bed/mattress assessments usually come across for several reasons.
Bed assessments are suitable for people who have noticed that they are having difficulty transferring into or out of bed, those living with chronic pain, those living with pressure area or pressure area risk or that somebody is living with a respiratory condition.
Community Therapy welcomes all enquiries.
Community Therapy is Ready to Help
We would love to hear from you. Over the phone, we will establish if we are an appropriate provider for you to consider. We advocate for choice and control.
- We are NDIS registered
- We perform Assistive Technology requests
- We understand how beds can support various conditions, such as pressure management for diabetic or frail people
- Our OTs complete continuing professional development
- We work with many different disability equipment providers
Please use our referrals or contact pages to start with Community Therapy.
