Downsizing to twin from full bed?

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Downsizing to twin from full bed?

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Finally going to move Mom to assisted living. She sleeps on a full bed now, and she does move all over it. She only sleeps in the bed, doesn't read or anything.

I would like to move her to a twin, just so the room would be less crowded.

My sisters and I are debating whether she'd be likely to fall out of a smaller bed.

Anyone with any experience on this?

Thank you!

Assisted Living Care Decisions Mom Moving

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I'd move mom to AL with HER bed and mattress for an easier transition. Especially if she moves around a lot while sleeping! I did get my mother a twin mattress with a daybed for her studio in AL but only because when she slept, it was on her back all night w/o moving a muscle. Had she been one to move around a lot, I would not have taken the risk of a smaller mattress.

Good luck to you.

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I moved my step-mother queen bed and all into MC. We did lower it to the floor so if she fell out it would lessen the blow.

After a year she no longer slept in it, she now sleeps in her Lazy Boy or on the couch.

Keep everything as close as you can to what she is used to being her first move.

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if she moves a lot, consider one with a rail on the side, like a hospital bed style, Nice part of a hospital bed is that it is adjustable in multiple ways

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Rails are not allowed in AL, as a rule. Hospital beds that hospice provides do not have rails either. They are considered restraints and or dangerous to elders.

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I'd go with a twin and here's my thinking. First, I understand that hospital beds with rails are a concern, but in Assisted Living, I got my dad the rails for tottelers, it is mesh and slides between the mattresses, so your mom won't get injured in it. Ask you assisted living if that's ok. But it's hard for her to put down alone and would need someone to do it for her. (I wonder if there are any remote ones?) Yes, the rooms there are so small and a twin just makes more sense. And if your mom ever needs a caregiver to change her diaper in the bed, a twin is much easier for the caregiver than a full size.

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She may. Be certain that you start this NOW. Before admission.
And also, be certain one side of the bed is against a wall.
Let staff know that she's used to a larger bed.
Wishing you luck. But start now.

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I would not change the bed she is comfortable in. The difference between a full (54in) and a twin (39 in) is only 15 in. She needs her room to be as familiar as possible. I tried to arrange Moms room like hers was at my house.

The problem with rails is that some elderly have gotten their heads stuck between the railing and the mattress and suffocated. My daughter, RN, says it could have been only a few people but everyone suffers for it. Falling out of bed and breaking a hip probably happens more than someone suffocating.

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Let her have a full size bed (especially since she moves a lot). She’s used to it .
Don’t make transition to AL more difficult .

My mother was afraid she would fall
out of a twin bed in AL , even though she never moved when she slept . AL switched it out and brought in a full size .

They don’t need much furniture . A chair and a side table or 2 with drawers, small dresser .

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Overall I would say try to bring the full in if you can fit it. After a couple of weeks and when fully recovered from his surgery, my dad didn’t want the hospital twin bed any more and wanted a full size as he was more used to

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Medical bed with rails?

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I moved my mom from a full bed to a twin when I got her an adjustable bed to help her back pain. It did and she was much happier with her new bed. It does not have rails and she has never fallen out. I also installed a pole next to the bed to help her get in and out. The kids joke about Grandma's pole dancing.

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It depends on the person, I think, and how much they move at night. I sleep in a queen bed, but I stay on one side all night. I'm thinking of moving to an adjustable twin myself. The only problem would be my two small dogs who like to sleep with me.

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My mom is in AL and had a queen size bed. I downsized her to a twin. I had no choice. For 2 years I had to fight that extremely heavy mattress because she would hide EVERYTHING and I mean everything under that heavy mattress. She is obviously physically stronger than I am because each time I would lift the mattress to find her teeth, her shoes, her cane, toilet paper, etc I would injure my already messed up back. How she was able to lift it was beyond me. 3 young men even struggled to carry that monster.

She never complained about me changing it which really surprised surprised me. But now I can at least lift the smaller mattress without killing my own back. Plus I’m sure it had to help her as well because she still hides everything under her mattress. She accuses everyone of stealing nonstop. Even when she was living with me she would do this.

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My moms journey has been a long one and I had forgotten about the block of years where she hid everything. She actually cut the bottom out of her footstool and shoved underwear, her hair brush, a shoe, etc. into the hole of the footstool. I never thought to look there! Same thing with the mattress. I would find silverware that she must have shoved in her pocket when I had her at my house. She would hide it under her mattress with some of her clothing, her toothbrush and the remote control. I purchased a half a dozen remotes to have on hand. She was pretty creative with hiding things and sometimes I didn't have two hours to look for the one she hid, so I would just bring over another remote! LOL

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Her falling out should be a serious concern for you. They will not allow bedrails in AL because our oh-so-brilliant government considers those to be physical restraints and it is unlawful to physically restrain them.

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We put mom in a twin bed and got some Med Line Bed Assist Bar (from amazon) about 36.00 a piece. We got 4. One for each side of her bed and 2 at the end of her bed. The two at the end of the bed was because she had a tendency to crawl in from the foot and one time she put her knee on the corner and she slid to the floor. We also got her a foam wedge under the mattress at the head of the bed to give her a little lift. Not much, just enough that she could easily roll over and sit up. We positioned the assist bar so that if she sat on the bed by the bar, she could rotate onto the bed, pull the covers up and reverse when getting up. AL have rules about rails, so the assist bar is positioned so she can grab it and get up and not be trapped in bed. The wedge is wonderful because she has an easier time raising up. She sleeps on her side and her back. We made sure we got a bed that was close to the floor because mom is not tall so the bars help her stand up and she likes that her feet can touch the floor when she is sitting on the side of the bed. The rails at the end help hold the mattress on the bed too since there is a wedge. Mom’s bed has been against 2 walls (long side and head) against only 1 wall (head) so she could get into either side and it has been a win with the rails on the sides and at the foot. BTW, I didn’t ask. I just did it. I have found that AL and MC are very afraid of giving permission and making decisions. Mom has been in AL, and 2 MC. One MC didn’t allow cameras in the room. I told mom it was a speaker and she was fine. It was helpful when mom slipped off the bed and told them she hit her head and I could prove she didn’t. They were ready to send to her ER. Whew!!! Also, the lack of cameras only benefit the facility because I spent enough time in the no camera one to see the lack of care and attention that was being recorded as being done and sent to me in a summary account daily. Funny that mom participated when she was out of the building with me on a doctor appointment! Cameras all the way now and if you can get non-profit facility….

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I put my folks into 2 adjustable twins, next to each other like a California king. When Dad died, I took Mom's bed out and moved her to his bed so she could smell him as long as possible. I took her bed out of the room and Mom just had her twin. There were never any problems. I put a security pole next to her bed. She didn't need rails until her last week of life.

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I moved moms full size bed to her assisted living…we brought her own bedding along. she also has her own dresser and chair..room looks great! my mom would have fallen out of a twin bed. Bed rails have been not allowed in facilities for years! They are a restraint. When mom was in the hospital they had rails half up and in her dementia state she was climbing over them…a huge risk for a broken hip.

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It will be easier for staff to maneuver around a twin bed in assisted living, especially if she needs help sitting up and if she uses a walker or wheel chair. You can also talk to staff about this.

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Absolutely!

My MIL has a King size bed and wants to take that to her ALF apartment. Problem is, that's ALL she can have in the room. Also, she is going to go downhill and the nurses have to be able to access her to help her when she's requiring more care.

Hospital beds are basically twin size. A compromise would be a 'double'.

Good Luck (for you and for us. MIL isn't going to be happy to give up that King bed!)

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We had a issue with my wife she fell out of bed she is a restless sleeper; I went from our bed (Queen) to a hospital bed with railing. We will see if that helps.

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My mom was sleeping in a queen size bed. She went from that to a twin size bed without any issues.

A full size bed isn’t a whole lot larger than a twin. Either way should be fine.

Hopefully, your mom won’t have a problem.

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Just get a hospital bed. You can leave the sides down until they are needed. Plus it has all kinds of other features.

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drat55: With her life changing via the move to the AL, the bed should remain as a constant.

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Size really won't matter. Consider placing her bed against a wall on 1 side so she has an open side and a "closed side." Less likely to fall out with this option.

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Downsizing to twin from full bed?

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