Medical Bed Sales Surge as People Avoid Aged Care Due to Covid Fears
There’s been a drastic spike in medical bed sales as Covid-19 sees older people and their families doing all they can to stay out of aged care to reduce the risk of contracting covid.
Solace Sleep adjustable bed expert Darren Nelson says they’ve seen medical bed sales surge by more than 500% in the last 12 months.
“We are seeing a huge increase in people reaching out, desperate to avoid having to go into an aged care facility that they say is like a cesspool of covid infection,’’ he said.
“As case numbers reach the tens of thousands, people are scared and they want the choice and ability to protect themselves.”
Medical bed sales, which once represented less than 5% of Solace Sleep’s total business have grown from fewer than 10 beds a year to more than 300.
“Medical beds are now making up around 25% of the business,” he said.
“We are seeing people make inquiries in their 50s which is at least a decade younger than before, as they try to future-proof their homes and mitigate their future risk.”
“No one wants to feel like they are in a hospital. But the reality is, to stay mobile you need a bed that’s going to relieve pressure and pain, not exacerbate it.”
“People also need a bed that is not just adjustable, but can move higher and lower but they don’t want their bed to look like it should be in a hospital. It needs to have the function of a hospital or aged care bed but look like it belongs in your home.”
“Having the right equipment is key to older people maintaining their self-sufficiency, whether it be an electric chair, handrail in the bathroom or bed which can help them manoeuvre easily.”
“OTs recommend what we call a Hi-Lo bed which goes up and down so a carer isn’t breaking their back bending down.”
Around one million Australians receive aged care services at home, and another 200,000 people live in a residential aged care facility. The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety found over the next decade those figures are expected to dramatically swell.
Darren said he’s invested in two overflow storage warehouses, ensuring people can access beds when they need them and avoid the supply chain shortages being experienced in other parts of the industry.
“When you need a medical bed, you often need it immediately and people can;t afford to wait six months for it to arrive from overseas.
“We’ve had instances where in an emergency we can have the beds delivered at night.”
About Solace Sleep
Solace Sleep is a national online and retail bedding company specialising in adjustable beds, as well as mattresses and pillows. The beds are functional, elegant and affordable. Their purpose is to provide better sleep and ease pain - as part of their customers' health journey.
For more information visit https://solacesleep.com.au
