Most advice about a hospital bed starts with her: head raise, rail position, and where she lies. This piece starts with the person who leans over the bed to help her, because the bed height decides how far you bend every time you tuck a blanket, turn her, or help her sit up. Set the height for your body first, then check it against what she needs.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Measure the height you work at

Wear the shoes you use for her care and stand beside the bed on the side you use most. Measure from the floor to the bend of your elbow with your arm hanging relaxed. That number is your starting point. Write it on a card taped to the bed frame or the wall so anyone else helping her can find it.

Set the bed close to that starting point

Raise or lower the bed to match your measurement, then lean in as if you were smoothing the blanket or reaching her shoulder. You are looking for a setting where you can reach her without bending at the waist or dropping your shoulder. Move a few inches up or down and repeat the lean until it feels steady. Ask the therapist to confirm the height before you use it for any lift, since they know her strength, her weight and the transfer they taught you.

Check that the height holds

Once the bed is set, press down on the foot end and the head end and watch for any drift. The height control should hold without settling. Check the locking pin, lever or motor hold on each side. If the bed slowly sinks or the control slips, stop using that setting and call the supplier before the next use.

Check the room for your stance

Stand at the bed in the position you will use. Your feet need room to shift weight, and the side of the bed should not be pressed against a wall so tight that you cannot step out to the side. Keep a clear path from the bed to the door and to the bathroom, so you can move with her if she needs to stop, turn or change direction.

Test the everyday reaches

At the set height, do the ordinary tasks: straightening the sheet, reaching the water cup, reaching the call button, moving the bedside table into her reach. If any of these make you lean hard or twist, adjust the bed height or move the item. Do this test at the hour of day you usually do the task, not in the middle of an easy afternoon when you are fresh.

Re-measure when something changes

The height you chose can stop working when the setup changes. A new mattress overlay, a raised frame, or a different cushion can move her position. A new pair of shoes, a sore knee, or a different person doing the lift can change your own measurement. Write the chosen height on the bed setup line of the day sheet so the next person, including a hired helper, sets it the same way every time.

The Bed Height Is Sized to You: Measure Your Elbow, Set the Lock, and Test the Reach