A hospital bed for the home, also called a homecare bed, raises the head and the knees so a person can sit up, rest and get in and out of bed more easily. Most also change height, which helps with standing up and lets a caregiver work without bending. A standard homecare bed is 36" wide and takes an 80" twin XL mattress.
Choosing one comes down to five questions. How should the bed move? How low and how high should it go? How wide does it need to be? Which mattress goes on it? And what else goes around it? This guide takes them in that order. Every bed on our beds and bedroom page lists its own figures, and the product page is the one to trust for any particular bed.
How the bed moves
Homecare beds differ first in what is powered and what is done by hand.
| Type | How it moves | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Manual | The head, the knees and the height all move with a hand crank. There are no motors and nothing to plug in. | A home with a caregiver on hand, or a tight budget. |
| Semi-electric | The head and the knees move with a hand control. The height is set with a crank. | Someone who changes position often but rarely needs the height changed. |
| Full-electric | The head, the knees and the height all move with a hand control. | Someone who raises and lowers the bed every day, or who uses it alone. |
| Hi-low | A full-electric bed that travels much further, from close to the floor to a caregiver's working height. | Long-term care at home, a person at risk of falls, or a caregiver who helps every day. |
Manual, semi-electric and full-electric beds are in our basic homecare beds. Hi-low beds built for long-term care are in our full-featured homecare beds.
How low and how high
The height range decides how easy the bed is to get into and out of, and how easy it is to care for someone in it.
- Low for safety. A bed that goes low shortens the distance to the floor if the person rolls out, and it makes a seated transfer easier. Hi-low beds usually go down to about 7" to 8".
- High for the caregiver. A bed that goes high lets a caregiver wash, dress and turn the person without bending. Hi-low beds usually rise to about 30".
- In between for standing. For getting up, the right height puts the person's feet flat on the floor with the knees level with the hips. A standard homecare bed usually runs from about 15" to 22", which covers that range for most people.
How wide the bed needs to be
A standard homecare bed is 36" wide and takes a 36" by 80" twin XL mattress. That fits most people and most bedrooms, and it fits through a standard doorway.
A person who needs more room to turn needs a heavy duty bed, which is usually 42" wide or more. Some heavy duty beds widen in steps, so the width can change as needs change, and some narrow again to move through a doorway. A wider bed needs a mattress of the same width.
Read both weight figures
A bed's weight capacity is the total it holds, spread across the deck: the person, the mattress, the rails and the bedding together. The weight limit for the person alone is lower. A standard homecare bed is commonly rated around 450 lbs. in total and 350 lbs. for the person. Each product page gives both figures, so check the one for the person.
Adjustable beds
An adjustable bed is built to look like bedroom furniture. The head and the legs rise by remote, and some models add a lift position that tilts the person forward toward standing. Many come with their own mattress and take standard sheets. The product page says what is included.
Choosing the mattress
Most homecare beds ship as a bare frame, so the mattress is a separate choice. Each bed's product page says what is included.
- Match the size. The mattress should match the deck width and length. On a standard bed that is 36" by 80". A mattress that is too small leaves a gap between the mattress and the rails, and a person can get caught in that gap.
- Match the thickness. Many beds list a thickness range, often around 5.5" to 7", so the rails stay tall enough above the mattress.
- Match the time in bed. Foam suits most people. A person who spends most of the day in bed may need an alternating air mattress, which shifts the pressure on the skin.
Our mattresses and overlays list the size, thickness and weight rating of each one.
Rails, handles and bedside helpers
A bed rail or handle gives a steady grip for sitting up, standing and getting back in. Our bed rails and handles list the mattress thickness and the bed type each one fits. Some fit only a regular bed and others fit a metal-frame hospital bed, so check both before you order.
Our bed accessories cover the things that go around the bed, such as overbed tables and trapeze bars. Each product page says which beds it fits.
Medicare and hospital beds
Medicare Part B can cover a hospital bed as durable medical equipment when a doctor orders it and the person meets Medicare's medical criteria. The bed usually comes through a supplier that bills Medicare, often as a rental. Medicare generally pays for a semi-electric bed and treats electric height adjustment as a convenience it does not cover.
Hieline sells direct and does not bill Medicare or any other insurance, so the price you see is the price you pay.
Buying from Hieline
Shipping follows our shipping policy. Financing is available through CareCredit. Each product page states its own return terms.
Mattresses cannot be returned
We do not accept returns on mattresses. Check the size, the thickness and the weight rating before you order.
How to decide
- Choose how the bed should move: manual, semi-electric, full-electric or hi-low.
- Decide how low and how high it needs to go for safe transfers and for the caregiver.
- Check the width: a standard 36" bed, or a heavy duty bed 42" wide or more.
- Check the weight limit for the person, not just the total.
- Pick a mattress that matches the deck width, length and thickness range.
- Add a rail, handle or bedside helper that fits the bed.
Start on our beds and bedroom page, pick the type that fits, and compare the beds side by side.
