Eating in a hospital bed

It starts with the sentence “I’m in the hospital” – even if you do not strictly have to lie in bed, more often than not it means that you are restricted to some degree in your radius of action. When you are in the hospital, it is likely that you will also have to take your meals in bed. A good sitting posture, however, is vital for getting the best nourishment from your meal.

A healthy person will swallow food, drinks and saliva up to 2,000 times a day without any problems. This process is largely unconscious and triggered by reflexes. However, swallowing is a highly complex process in which a large number of muscles are involved. Eating with an upright upper body ideally supports this process.

When sitting and eating, the upper body should always be at 90 degrees to the legs so that the back is straight. This is exactly what our Vertica beds from our divisions Clinic, Care and Homecare are now making a real possibility. These beds allow patients and residents to move into a corresponding sitting posture when eating. This first step towards mobilisation promotes active participation in daily life.