Hello my name's Liam and I work for Theraposture and today I'm joined by Shaun Masters
who is an Occupational Therapist and Shaun's also one of our Trusted Assessors
Shaun's going to help me today talk to you about the Rotoflex range of beds
Specifically about how they are unique and very different to the beds that attempt to copy them
We've got the Rotoflex 235 Plus here. This is actually an award-winning bed
and you'll see that with all Rotoflex rotating beds the concept of rotation is used to help somebody get into bed
if they would otherwise struggle, and this is a common theme across all of the rotational beds that try to copy the Rotoflex
they all rotate - but that's where the similarities end!
Now you'll notice that when you do rotate if you want to elevate the legs
the legs actually come up to this point
they're unsupported because this part of the mattress does not move
so in the case of somebody in bed Shaun what does that mean to them?
In many instances for medical reasons if somebody has to have their legs elevated at the moment obviously when they're
lying in bed their feet are going to be off the edge of the mattress which is not going to be good for circulation
or pressure care management because you've got your lower limbs that are not supported
So basically this edge here is a pressure point on the back of the calf
and because the legs aren't fully supported here the ankle is down below the knee and that's going to restrict the fluid movement
It will indeed. So here's the solution and this is absolutely unique, cannot be copied, its patented and is only available on a Rotoflex bed
It's called a rising heel section. So this is electrically operated so this part of the bed will actually start to move up
It will move up to the same level as the rest of the mattress
So in other words the whole mattress is at the same level so the whole of the leg is fully supported
From an Occupational Therapists point of view is that a solution that works?
What we've enabled to achieve now is the lower limb are going to be fully supported
So the feet will be on the heel pad section and the rest of your limbs would be on the mattress
So you've got now one section. So there's no pressure points.
There's no pressure points at all now. The heels are raised and the fluid can drain
It's a much much better solution because you're now fully supported and there's no areas of risk
So I've now lowered the rising heel section and I'm going to rotate the bed back round to the chair position
So clearly this bed is going get you into bed, it's also going to get you out of the bed
in exactly the same way which is just pushing and holding one button
So again from an OTs perspective Shaun what does that mean?
With the ability to be able to use just one button in, which is a green button, and one button out, which is a red button
if somebody had cognitive difficulties it simplifies the action of going into bed and coming out of bed
It just makes it much much easier for someone to be able to control
and what about dexterity as well?
If somebody has some reduced ability to be able to use their hands then they've only got to use one button
They've only got the position their hand in one place, rather than multiple places, so there again that can be much much easier for someone to be able to use
With the Rotoflex we have a range of mattresses that cater from low risk all the way through to very high risk specifically Grade Four
The typical customers that use these beds quite often they have progressive conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease,
classically two of our biggest customer groups,
so there is the ability within the Rotoflex range of mattresses to interchange them as and when you need
Which for someone with a progressive conditions very important?
It is indeed because when you first assess somebody their needs may be very different and as that condition progresses the pressure care needs to increase
So there's the ability to be able to go up to a Grade Four and we can put obviously the ROHO cushion mattress on here as well
So one of the differences again that I want to show you and the viewers is the way the mattress is held on to the bed
Now again this is patented, cannot be copied and is very very important
If you look at this, we have a slot here with a wider opening where a toggle goes in and Springs out to hold itself in position
In other words that mattress is actually held on under pressure now the results of that means that the mattress will not move on the platform
Particularly when you're getting off the bed, so why is that important?
I think people when use their rotating bed they can sometimes feel quite anxious
it's a different way of somebody getting in and out of bed it doesn't feel a natural thing for them to do
and if your feeling is that you're sliding forward it can make somebody feel very unsafe
and also it's a very high risk with somebody then sliding and ending up on the floor
So if you have somebody that perhaps was forgetful or a little bit confused they wake in the middle of the night
they want to get out of bed and they find themselves in a position trying to get off the bed before the rotation is finished
the potential is for other rotating beds to tip over isn't it?
it is indeed because the center of gravity is away from the middle of the bed
the weight of the person is on the extremity so that would obviously be a disaster if that happened
But with with the Rotoflex there's a patented lifting frame which means that the bed will not tip over
I just want to show you what that means
Now I'm not the lightest person but I am literally right on the edge of that foot section
Is it moving Shaun?
It's not moving at all and I think that really would give someone reassurance
because as you say if they haven't fully been through the control to be able to get it into its parked position
then it really could make someone feel unsafe if they felt it was going to tip forward
So the point I'm trying to make here is that that is patented and it cannot be copied
As a result of that patent this bed will not tip over.
So with the Rotoflexs it will not only get you into bed and fully support your entire leg
it will get you out of bed and away from the bed and that's what we're going to show you now
So with the Rotoflex there is a height adjustment function which can be used either in the bed position to provide safe working heights for those helping
or in the chair position where someone is more independent it will help them stand up and Shaun's going to show us that now
This is a difference again the Rotoflex bed will vertically rise and it will intentionally not tip your forward
and there's a very very good reason for that.
Shaun as an OT you could explain. There are other rotating beds available that do not vertically rise and it gives you a tip forward function
and if you've got reduced muscle function or weight bearing capacity or if you need to use a stand aid
I think the fact if you're going to be tipped forward it can make you feel very unsafe and you're not being fully supported and not in control
With this vertical rise I'm doing it step by step, just bringing it up my feet are on the floor
my nose behind my toes and it is me totally in control I feel that I'm not out of control
So if it were tipping you forward and let's just assume it's the middle of the night somebody's woken to go to the toilet
and perhaps you know they're waking from sleep so they're not quite fully functioning
they need to leave the bed, if they're being tipped there will be a point of no return I guess
Absolutely it's not something that I was an Occupational Therapist would be recommending
The safest way to be able to get out of bed is if you're fully in control and sat on a flat platform
and I determine when I stand up and it's not being done by the actual motor function of the bed
So I can now stand, and if you weren't ready presumably you could sit back down again
Absolutely, you're sitting back on a flat surface you're not sitting back on an angled surface
That's brilliant thank you very much Shaun
So with Shaun's help we've shown you the solution to getting in and out bed safely and consistently and of course independently
and that is by using a Rotoflex rotating bed
We've also had the opportunity to talk about the differences between what is a proven solution
that has been developed over 20 years and beds that now attempt to copy it
The difference is sometimes not obvious, in fact it can be very subtle, but as Shaun's explained they can make a big difference to the outcome
This is a patented bed the parts of the bed that make it different are protected
so it's unique and cannot be fully copied, but this is part of a range we've got in addition to the award-winning 235 Plus we also have a low access version
and we also have heavy-duty version and Rotoflexes can also be provided as part of a double combination so that couples can remain together in the same bed
The process of getting a bed starts with an assessment, that's a clinically led process by someone like Shaun
who would come to your home to enable you to try the bed
We can therefore make sure that the bed is compatible not just with you but with those helping you
and the environment or your home where it's going to be used
So call us, arrange that assessment. Discover that the Rotoflex can potentially be the solution you're looking for
This is the considered choice