Two Tips to Follow if You're Elderly and Are Buying a Bed

Here are some suggestions to follow if you're elderly and are going to buy a bed.

1. Consider the height of the bed

It's important to check the height of any beds that appeal to you. Whilst beds that are quite a few feet off the ground definitely can look a bit more sophisticated than those that are lower to the ground, the latter might be better if you're in your twilight years.

The reasons for this are as follows; firstly, unless you have quite long legs, you might, as an elderly person whose agility has declined, find getting into and out of a taller bed quite difficult. As such, if you don't want to start and end your day with what feels like a difficult dismount or a challenging climb, it might be best to pick a bed that is a bit closer to the ground (although it is worth noting that a very low bed could create just as many difficulties, if kneeling or stooping over are hard for you).

Secondly, getting a bed that's a bit shorter will also ensure that, if you ever accidentally turn over and fall out of it, you'll be much less likely to harm your (potentially fragile) bones than if you were to fall out of a bed with a taller frame.

2. Determine how much space you'll need

At this stage, you may spend more time in your bed than you used to. For example, if you have arthritis and the intensity of the symptoms has increased as you've aged, then you might occasionally need to spend your mornings or afternoons in bed when your joints are at their worst. Likewise, you may find that the colds that you were once able to ignore leave you too unwell to leave your bed for entire weekends.

Because of this, it's important to consider how spacious the beds you like are. For example, it's best not to pick one that is just about large enough for you to comfortably sleep in (like a double) but to instead get something significantly larger, like a king. You would probably find the extra space great for the aforementioned days, as you would, for example, easily have enough room for a breakfast tray on the bed, as well as space for any novels, sketch pads or other items you use to occupy your time during these lengthy stays in your bed.