Electric Adjustable Beds for Home and Care

Choosing an adjustable bed

Most people who come to us for a bed need one of three things. A bed that lifts high so a carer isn't bending all day, a bed that drops close to the floor because someone rolls or climbs out at night, or a bed built for a heavier body.

Work out which of those you're solving and the choice gets short. If you're not sure, the OT report usually says it in the first page, and we'll read it with you on 1300 216 888.

Three types of bed

Hi-lo beds go from about knee height up to hip height on a carer. That's the one for showering in bed, dressing, wound care, or sliding someone across to a commode. The Alrick P5500 ($4,299.95) and Eurocare Prosaic ($3,299) are the plain, well made versions.

Floorline beds drop to 110mm or lower. If someone has dementia, seizures, or has already fallen out of bed, this is the bed.

A fall from 110mm is a roll onto the carpet, not a trip to emergency. The Eurocare Floorline ($3,699) and Casero Vogue ($3,999.95) both reach 110mm. The Accora Ultra ($6,499) goes to 71mm, which is as low as a bed gets.

Bariatric beds are wider and rated for more weight. The Adiflex ($4,999.95) takes a user up to 220kg on a 1200mm wide surface. The Casero Plus ($7,295.99) is rated to 450kg and comes in a queen width, which also makes it a couple's bed. The Alrick 2300 Tilt ($7,999.95) is the Australian-made heavy duty option in king single, double or queen.

There's a fourth group for people who want a care bed that doesn't look like one. The Aspire ComfiMotion Care ($3,499) and Activ Care ($3,929) have an upholstered frame, a night light under the bed and a massage setting. The Activ Care lowers to 195mm and has battery backup. You can pair either with a fixed companion bed ($1,199) so two people sleep side by side at the same height.

Height and weight

Low height is how close the mattress platform gets to the floor. High height is how far it lifts for a carer. Safe working load includes the mattress and anything else on the bed, so it's higher than the user limit.

Bed	Low	High	Safe working load	Sizes	From
Accora Ultra	71mm	650mm	185kg	Single	$6,499
Eurocare Floorline	110mm	740mm	200kg	Single, king single	$3,699
Casero Vogue	110mm	760mm	250kg	Single, king single	$3,999.95
Casero Duo	184mm	760mm	250kg	Single, king single	$3,999.95
Aspire Activ Care	195mm	700mm	250kg (360kg double and queen)	Long single to queen	$3,929
Aspire ComfiMotion Care	280mm	580mm	180kg	Long single, king single	$3,499
Adiflex Bariatric	230mm	830mm	255kg (user 220kg)	1200mm wide	$4,999.95
Practico 25/80	250mm	800mm	220kg (user 185kg)	Single, pairs as a double	$9,156.90
Casero Plus	260mm	660mm	450kg	Single (1350mm), queen	$7,295.99
Alrick 2300 Tilt	270mm	760mm	300kg	King single, double, queen	$7,999.95
Alrick P5500	295mm	740mm	200kg	Single, king single	$4,299.95
Domiflex Deluxe	400mm	810mm	170kg	Single	$2,695
Eurocare Prosaic	400mm	800mm	175kg	Single	$3,299

Heights are the mattress platform, measured by each manufacturer. Add your mattress thickness to get the sleeping height.

Check before you buy

Will it fit through the door and up the hall? Most of these beds pull apart into two halves for delivery. The Casero beds also narrow for transport.

Measure the hallway, the bedroom door and the turn into the room. A king single Casero Vogue is 1190mm wide once the side surround is on.

Does the low height match the risk? Falls risk wants 110mm or under. If the main job is carer access, a 295mm low height is fine and you'll save money.

Is there room under the bed for a lifter? Lifter clearance is the gap under the frame. The Adiflex gives 150mm, the Domiflex 230mm. A floor bed at its lowest has none, so you raise it before a hoist transfer.

What happens in a blackout? The Aspire Activ Care and the Practico have battery backup. Other beds stay where they were when the power went off. If the bed is usually left high and the user needs it low to get out, that matters.

Side rails, self help pole, extension. Rails come standard on the Domiflex, Prosaic and Practico and are an accessory on the Alrick and Accora beds. A self help pole helps someone roll and sit up on their own. A 200mm extension fits a tall user on the Alrick P5500 and the Casero beds.

The mattress is a separate decision. A care bed needs a mattress that bends with the sections and manages pressure. The Aspire Lifecomfort Standard starts at $749. If there's already skin damage, or someone is in bed most of the day, look at the pressure care range or ask us which one the OT would want.

Using the bed safely

Lower the bed before anyone gets out, and raise it before any care task. A carer's back goes from bending over a low bed, not from pressing a button. Lock the handset if the user might press buttons by accident at night.

Keep the floor around the bed clear, because a floor bed at 110mm is easy to trip on in the dark. Side rails are a decision for the OT, not a default. On the wrong person they turn a roll onto the carpet into a climb and a fall from height.

NDIS funding for beds

An adjustable bed is assistive technology under the NDIS. At these prices it sits in the mid or high cost band, which means the plan needs AT funding and the NDIA will want evidence from an OT. The report names the bed type, the features and why a cheaper option won't do. Read the NDIA's own page on assistive technology before you start.

We quote the same day we get the OT report, itemised the way the NDIA wants it, and we deliver and assemble the bed. We're NDIS registered (4050144759), so plan managed, agency managed and self managed participants can all buy through us. Our guide on what the NDIS funds for beds goes through the evidence in more detail.

Questions we get asked

Floorline or hi-lo bed?

Floorline if there's any falls history, dementia or night-time wandering. Hi-lo if the main need is carer access and the user is safe in bed. We compare the two properly in floorline bed or standard hi-lo bed.

Can a couple keep sleeping together?

Yes. The Aspire ComfiMotion beds pair with a fixed companion bed at the same 370mm height. The Casero Plus queen takes two people on one adjustable surface. The Practico is sold as a two-piece set that clamps together.

Do I need a special mattress?

A normal inner-spring mattress won't bend with the sections. You need a foam or air mattress made for profiling beds, and the right one depends on skin and time in bed. Budget from $749.

Does the price include delivery and setup?

Every bed is delivered and assembled, and we'll show whoever's using the handset how it works. The Aspire beds go anywhere we deliver. The Alrick, Eurocare, Accora, Casero, Domiflex, Adiflex and Practico beds are delivered and set up in Sydney and the surrounding areas only, not interstate. Tell us the suburb and we'll confirm the cost on the quote.

What width should I choose?

Single (900mm) suits most people and fits through doors. King single (1050 to 1070mm) suits someone who moves a lot or sleeps with a body pillow. Go wider only if weight or a partner calls for it.

How long is the warranty?

It varies by brand. Casero gives 10 years on the frame and 5 on the electrics. Aspire ComfiMotion gives 10 years on the frame and 1 on fabric. Ask us for the others before you order.

Can I see one first?

We don't keep beds set up in the Picton showroom, they're too big. Call us and we'll walk you through the one the OT report points to, with the brochure and the measurements in front of us.