Frequently Asked Questions
There are some questions and answers that people regularly ask
when they want to rent a hospital bed for home.
If you have another question – please don’t hesitate to call us.
Have a read through this selection of questions and then contact us – without obligation – whenever you you want ;
- Call us on (01) 5033 700 or (083) 8649 471
- Fill in our contact form and one of our friendly staff members will call you back.
- Email us on: info@r2o.ie
Absolutely! Our existing clients range from HSE nursing homes, private nursing homes and private individuals. You can rent or purchase our equipment. We deliver and install the equipment in your home (or a holiday home or hotel).
R2O provides a full nationwide service. We have a dedicated team of trained and experienced staff for delivery and maintenance of all our equipment.
A pressure relief mattress is designed to increase comfort for an individual suffering from (or at risk of developing) pressure ulcers. The mattress provides high levels of support for the head and body to relieve any mounting stress on pressure points.
Unlike a regular mattress, pressure relief mattresses have carefully designed air pockets, specifically designed to place less pressure on the main pressure points in the body.
STATIC:
Foam mattresses are mostly designed for the prevention of pressure ulcers rather than the treatment.
Responding to an individual’s body shape, heat, and movement, they are comprised of single or multiple pressure relieving foam.
Their surface remains static and relieves pressure overtime by evenly distributing an individual’s weight over a large surface at a continuous low pressure.
ALTERNATING (Active)
Recommended for Grade 3 and Grade 4 pressure ulcers, alternating air pressure mattresses are mostly used to treat developed ulcers as well as preventing them for those unable to move themselves.
Providing constant relief to the individual, they also bring the benefit of reducing the need for manual repositioning by a carer.
Assembled with a row of lateral air cells that constantly alternate, they relieve and redistribute pressure through a dynamic lying surface. Air-flow is controlled via a pump unit connected to the mattress, with the pump inflating deflated cells and deflating the inflated cells.
Inflated air cells provide pressure to support the user whilst the deflated cells provide relief for the skin above them. The pump ensures that there is constant movement under the user’s skin as well as periods of no pressure.
A profiling bed (sometimes referred to as a medical bed /hospital bed) is specifically designed to provide support to users.
Electronically operated, our range of profiling beds offer ease of movement and comfort for both patient and carer.
The profiling platform has an adjustable knee break, head section and the entire bed frame is height adjustable. Safety and durability are key aspects of our design ethos – each bed has something different to offer.
The term bariatric was coined around 1965, from the Greek root bar– (“weight” as in barometer), suffix –iatr (“treatment,” as in pediatrics), and suffix –ic (“pertaining to”).
The term is also used in the medical field as somewhat of a euphemism to refer to people of larger sizes.
We at R2O understand the special needs and requirements of patients and their carers. We supply top of the line bariatric medical equipment that is noticeably larger, with a higher weight capacity, than standard equipment.
The bariatric range is carefully designed to keep caregivers safe and patients comfortable. Browse our shop to see our range.
We accept Debit Cards, Credit cards, Bank Transfers, Cheques or cash.
Questions about Pressure Ulcers (bedsores)
Pressure ulcers – also referred to as pressure damage, pressure injuries, bedsores or decubitus ulcers – are usually seen on the skin as red, purple or discoloured areas, which may progress into blistering or open wounds. These can develop on bony areas of the body such as the back, bottom or heels or in areas where the blood supply to the tissues has been reduced due to prolonged pressure.
They can happen to anyone, but usually affect people who spend more time in bed or those who sit in a chair or wheelchair for long periods of time. If you are at risk of pressure damage you should be offered advice on how to reduce your risk and this will usually include information on:
- How to assess your skin for early signs of damage
- What type of mattresses, cushions or special devices may help to relieve pressure from vulnerable areas
- How to keep moving. Even small changes in position are really important to reduce the risk of damage
- If you have problems with your bladder or bowels that mean that your skin is wet or soiled, there may be creams and products that will help to prevent skin damage
- How to make sure that you eat a healthy diet and take sufficient fluid to keep the skin nourished and hydrated.
While pressure ulcers can appear anywhere on the body, they are most commonly seen over bony areas such as the heels, ankles, hips, spine and buttocks.
Pressure ulcers form when blood flow to the tissues of the skin and surrounding area is reduced.
Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels. They bring oxygenated blood from the arteries into the organs, skin and underlying tissue, as well as taking deoxygenated blood away from the skin and tissues back into the veins.
When a person is sitting or lying on a surface the pressure between the seat/mattress and the body compresses the capillaries in this area. This is especially noticeable over bony areas, like your heels, buttocks and tailbone (coccyx). Just like squeezing a hosepipe if this pressure is high enough it can reduce blood flow through these capillaries or even stop it altogether.
Pressure is not the only issue. Shear forces (such as sliding down the bed or slouching in a chair) also play a part in the development of pressure.
If someone’s blood vessels are closed or compressed due to pressure, then the oxygen supply to the surrounding tissues falls.
Interestingly, in healthy people, this fall in oxygen prompts a reflex to move; this is the reason you cross and uncross your legs or roll over in bed at night without really thinking about it! Ignore this reflex and you will start to feel pain and discomfort, a sign from your body that it’s time to get moving again.
If the pressure is relieved, and the circulation is restored, the capillaries open up again and blood flow increases to the area again. For those with pale skin, this may be observed as the pink patch that is visible if you have had your legs crossed for a sustained period.
This pink patch is called ‘blanching erythema’. Blanching erythema is identifiable by the pale spot you can see when you press on it with a finger on Caucasian skin. In dark skin tones, this may not be visible, therefore when checking the skin, any change in skin colour or appearance should be checked carefully in case it is a sign of increased vulnerability.
If pressure continues, then reduced oxygen levels starts to cause damage to the capillaries and surrounding cells.
The first sign in the skin is often a change in colour. For those with light skin tones, non-blanching erythema may be visible, where the skin colour is a persistent red and the skin colour does not change when lightly pressed with a finger.
For those with dark skin tones, a change in skin colour may be observed, but is unlikely to present as redness. It is therefore important to compare any changes in colour observed with areas of unaffected skin to determine if early signs of pressure damage are developing.
It is also important to understand that damage may occur deep within the tissues, presenting as a Deep Tissue Injury. This may present as a purple or dark discoloured area, a thin blistered area over an area of dark discolouration or an area of thin dark eschar. The affected area may be painful and may be harder or softer, or warmer or sometimes cooler than the surrounding areas.
Signs & Symptoms
Pressure ulcers often develop slowly but can develop in just a few hours with the right conditions.
Pressure ulcers are likely to develop faster when there is higher pressure on a smaller area, and more slowly when there is lower pressure over a wider area.
Early signs of pressure ulcer development include:
- A change in the colour of the skin. People with pale skin are more likely to see red patches on the skin, and people with darker skin area more likely to see purple or blue patches.
- Reddening of the skin that does NOT turn white when you press it. This is called a ‘non-blanching erythema’.
- Any unusual changes in skin texture may be related to pressure damage. Common changes include skin feeling spongy or ‘boggy’.
- A patch of skin that feels cooler or warmer to the touch than others.
- A sore or itchy patch of skin.
Bedsores fall into one of several stages based on their depth, severity and other characteristics. The degree of skin and tissue damage ranges from red, unbroken skin to a deep injury involving muscle and bone. Skin showing these signs of pressure ulcer development may be referred to as ‘category one’.
As pressure ulcers worsen, they may break the skin. Signs of worsening pressure ulcers include:
- An open wound or
- A deep wound that reaches the deeper layers of the skin.
- A very deep wound that may reach the muscle and bone.
You should tell your healthcare team as soon as possible if you develop symptoms of a pressure ulcer as it will probably continue to get worse if nothing is done about it.
If you’re recovering from illness or surgery at home, or are caring for someone confined to bed or a wheelchair, contact your GP surgery if you think you or the person you’re caring for might have a pressure ulcer.
Get medical advice immediately if there is:
- Red, swollen skin
- Pus coming from the pressure ulcer or wound
- Cold skin and a fast heartbeat
- Severe or worsening pain
- A high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
These symptoms could be a sign of a serious infection that needs to be treated as soon as possible
If pressure continues, then reduced oxygen levels starts to cause damage to the capillaries and surrounding cells.
The first sign in the skin is often a change in colour. For those with light skin tones, non-blanching erythema may be visible, where the skin colour is a persistent red and the skin colour does not change when lightly pressed with a finger.
For those with dark skin tones, a change in skin colour may be observed, but is unlikely to present as redness. It is therefore important to compare any changes in colour observed with areas of unaffected skin to determine if early signs of pressure damage are developing.
It is also important to understand that damage may occur deep within the tissues, presenting as a Deep Tissue Injury. This may present as a purple or dark discoloured area, a thin blistered area over an area of dark discolouration or an area of thin dark eschar. The affected area may be painful and may be harder or softer, or warmer or sometimes cooler than the surrounding areas.
Preventing Pressure Ulcers
Pressure ulcers can develop rapidly given the right conditions.
Not all risk factors can be controlled. However, the key risk factors affecting the individual should be taken into account as part of a pressure ulcer prevention strategy. Preventive measures include:
Risk assessment may involve the use of a scoring system eg. Waterlow, Braden, or Glamorgan scales or a system for colour (RAG) rating risk eg. Purpose T.
Whichever system is in use, it is important to ensure that it is not used in isolation but supports clinical & holistic assessment of the person and their needs and preferences.
People who are able to do so should be shown how to check their skin for any signs of damage
Carers can also be shown how to inspect the skin and what to look for
Early signs of skin damage may include discomfort, redness, or a change in colour to the skin. This may be more difficult to assess in dark skin tones
Mattresses/cushions that inflate and deflate to redistribute pressure
Static Viscoelastic (memory-foam) mattresses/cushions which conform to the shape of the body to distribute pressure evenly.
Positioning devices – these may include slide sheets for repositioning, and devices suitable for heels, etc. to remove all pressure from the heel and facilitate healing
For those at risk of pressure damage, changes in position should be made at least every 4 hours
Even small changes in position are really important to reduce the risk of damage
This should be discussed with each person on an individual basis, and agreement on the frequency of repositioning should be recorded
Repositioning frequency may need to be increased if skin assessment shows any increased vulnerability
People who cannot reposition themselves need assistance to do so.
This repositioning should be done throughout the day and night.
Use barrier creams and appropriate containment products (eg. Continence pads) for those with bladder or bowel issues that lead to frequent episodes of wet or soiled skin
Barrier creams should be dimethicone based products rather than oil-based products
A thorough continence assessment should be undertaken to establish the most appropriate containment products for the person.
Ensure access to a healthy diet and adequate fluid intake to keep the skin nourished and hydrated