The majority of aged care in Australia is provided to people in their homes, reflective of people’s preferences to remain living in their own home and to remain connected to their family and community for as long as possible.
The requirement for increased care and services for people who are bed bound or who have significantly decreased mobility often meant that their preference for care at home was costly and involved a timetable of paid carers. Sometimes their care needs could not be met by home care services or with support from their loved ones resulting in transfer to a Residential Care Facility.
The BehnTM Bed and Chair Integrated Solution allows for the person to be easily transferred from the bed to the chair, their personal care or other health care needs attended to and they can then participate in family life by sitting in the lounge room or sitting at the meal table for as long as they wish. They are not tied to a timetable of visits by a paid carer.
The design concept is centred around the ability of the carer, which may be a spouse or other loved one, to safely and easily transfer the person from their bed into a mobile chair. This can enhance the person’s sense of dignity and spare them the discomfort of being lifted by multiple carers or not feeling safe when transferred in a hoist.
The BehnTM Bed and Chair Integrated Solution eliminates the need for lifting or hoists when the person transitions into or out of bed. There is a reduced risk of strains and injuries to formal and/or informal carers. Visiting health practitioners can attend to assessments and other therapies with ease as the chair has in-built functions and access points facilitating accurate assessment and a safe working posture.
The BehnTM Bed and Chair Integrated Solution challenges the traditional models of home care for a person with significantly decreased mobility enabling them to lead more fulfilled lives. Informal carers are empowered and assisted to utilise the technology at anytime of the day or night, decreasing the reliance on paid carers.
Heather Watts – Registered Nurse
