Aids for bedridden elderly: eating, reading and staying connected

Suddenly your partner or your mother is spending most of the day in bed. After a fall, a hospital stay, or simply because the body can do less than it used to. The whole household shifts along with it. Meals balance on a lap, the book stays closed, and visitors sit awkwardly on the edge of the bed. The right aids for bedridden patients at home make this new situation much easier to live with. For the person in bed, and for you as their caregiver.

In this article we look at the daily living aids that genuinely help with eating, reading, staying in touch and personal care in bed. Even if you never buy a thing, we want this page to be useful to you. Would you like a broader look at what someone can keep doing for themselves at home? Then also read our page on staying independent.

What changes when someone becomes bedridden

Bedridden rarely means lying flat all day. Usually it means long stretches in bed, with short moments out of it. Even so, a lot changes, often within a few days.

• Eating and drinking move to the bedroom. Three meals a day, plus coffee and a biscuit in between.
• Contact shrinks. Visitors come upstairs, and phone calls happen from the pillow.
• Personal care in bed is added to the routine: washing, setting out medication, sometimes wound care by a home care nurse.
• The days get long. Reading, puzzles and television suddenly become the main events of the day.

The difference between feeling dependent and still doing things yourself often comes down to small practical adjustments. That is what the next sections are about.

Eating and drinking in bed without the mess

Ask family caregivers about their biggest daily struggle, and eating in bed comes out on top. A tray on a lap wobbles. Soup is a gamble, and you are still finding crumbs between the sheets a week later. Anyone searching for aids for eating in bed quickly ends up at the same answer: a firm, stable surface.

An overbed table, a table on wheels that rolls right over the bed, solves exactly that. The tabletop stands firmly at the right height, so someone can cut their own food, butter their own bread and pour their own drink. That sounds small, but it is the difference between being fed and simply having a meal. Dignity lives in details like that.

When choosing an overbed table for elderly family members, pay attention to two things. Pick one with lockable wheels, so the tabletop does not roll away when someone reaches for a cup of coffee. And check that it is height adjustable, so the tabletop suits both sitting upright and a more relaxed position.

Small extras that help: a non-slip mat on the tabletop, a cup with a lid and cutlery with thick grips. All available separately from a home care supply store.

Reading, puzzles and video calls: keep the day on a rhythm

Long days in bed need structure. The newspaper at breakfast, a puzzle after lunch, a video call with the grandchildren at four. Fixed moments give the day shape, and they need a few practical things in place.

Many people look for a bed reading table: a surface that holds a book, newspaper or tablet at a comfortable height, without arms getting tired from holding everything up. An overbed table works well for this too. Put a reading stand or tablet holder on it and everything is ready to go.

Think about power as well. For someone who spends much of the day in bed, the phone and tablet are the line to the outside world. And those are exactly the devices that sit there empty, because the socket is hidden behind the nightstand. That is why the DreamDesk overbed table has two power sockets, USB and USB-C built into the tabletop. Charging happens within arm's reach, without stretching or loose extension cords.

A hospital bed table for home use

Anyone who has ever stayed in hospital knows the table the nurses roll up to the bed. Handy at mealtimes, rolled away again for care. Many families are looking for exactly that: a hospital bed table for home use, but one that does not make the bedroom look like a hospital ward.

An overbed table like this rolls in and out without any lifting. That saves carrying and hassle, every single day. And because the table stands over the bed rather than on it, the bed itself stays clear for washing and changing the sheets.

The DreamDesk is that kind of overbed table. The tabletop is height adjustable from 80 to 110 cm, so it also fits over a hi-low bed or a box spring bed. It comes in four widths, 140, 160, 180 and 213 cm, so there is a size for every bed, including a double box spring bed. Partners do not have to sleep apart just because a table needs to stand at the bedside. The MDF tabletop rests on a steel frame that carries up to 50 kg, so a meal, a stack of books and a laptop at the same time are no problem. Have a look at the DreamDesk in Espresso Brown to see what that looks like.

About assembly: the box contains the screws and a manual, and there is a video of every step on the assembly page. Even if DIY is not your strong suit, you can follow along calmly, step by step.

Other daily living aids for bedridden elderly people

An overbed table solves a lot, but not everything. Be honest about that, with yourself too. These daily living aids are widely used in practice:

• Trapeze bar: a bar above the bed that someone can pull themselves up on to sit upright.
• Hi-low bed: a bed that is height adjustable. Helpful for care in bed and for getting in and out.
• Adjustable backrest: a support that makes sitting upright against the pillows comfortable.

Good to know: many of these aids can be borrowed temporarily from a home care supply store near you. For a situation that is probably temporary, borrowing is often the smartest route. Ask the store or your health insurer about the conditions.

Is your partner in bed recovering from an operation? Then also read our article on recovering at home after surgery.

Choosing aids for bedridden patients at home: tips for family caregivers

The right aids make caregiving lighter, but finding them usually lands on your plate. So to finish, a few lessons from families who have been here before you.

• Talk to an occupational therapist or the home care team. They see every day what works and what does not in which situation. Ask about it through your GP or the home care nurse.
• Arrange the room together. Ask what the person wants, instead of organizing everything for them. Choosing where the table stands and what sits within reach is a form of independence too.
• Keep the basics within arm's reach. Glasses, phone, water, tissues, remote control. One fixed spot saves ten rounds of calling out and walking upstairs a day.
• Allow yourself to rest. Caring for a loved one is beautiful and heavy at the same time. Every aid that lets someone eat, read or call by themselves is also a moment when you do not have to do anything. Look into local caregiver support services in your area as well.

And if you are unsure what is wise for someone's health: that is not a question for a webshop, but for your GP or occupational therapist. We write here about comfort and independence, not about medical care.

Take your time to look around

Want to read more about what someone can keep doing for themselves at home? You will find more practical guidance on our staying independent page. And if you think an overbed table would help you both, it does not have to be a leap of faith. You can try a DreamDesk at home with a 60-day trial period, a 2-year warranty, free delivery in the Netherlands and Belgium, delivery in 1 to 3 working days and free returns if it turns out not to suit your situation.

Not sure about the size, or wondering whether the table fits over your bed? Feel free to ask us. We are happy to think along with you.