A guide to bedroom accessories

Bed rails, bed sticks and grab rails

Bed rails, bed sticks and grab rails are types of bedroom aids designed to provide support when you’re getting in and out of bed or repositioning yourself while in bed. In some cases, they can also help to prevent falls.

This type of bedroom accessory can be fitted underneath the mattress or by attaching it to the bed frame, so it’s worth checking product descriptions carefully to make sure it fits with your bed.

You can find out more about these products in our guide to bed rails.

Standing aids

As the name implies, standing aids are designed to help you stand from a seated position and sit down again. They are usually for use with the help of a carer and come in a variety of different types, including ones to help you transfer you from the bed to a seat.

Mattress elevators

For some people, sitting up in bed requires more support than a few pillows bunched behind the back. If this sounds familiar, you may want to look at a mattress elevator. Mattress elevators are folding frames that can be placed under the mattress and raised or lowered using an electrically powered air pump. A cheaper, simpler alternative is a folding backrest, which will sit on top of the mattress and can be used with or without pillows. However, whilst these are much cheaper, they must be erected manually so are only really suitable if you have a good level of independence.

Positioning aids 

Positioning aids can range from ceiling or wall-mounted supports to 'rope ladder' style devices that enable you to 'climb' into a sitting position. Other helpful aids include bed wedges as well as bed blocks, which are firm and have easily gripped handles that can be used over soft bedding. There are even electrically powered leg lifters to help those with limited movement to move their legs, which can be an invaluable aid to independence.

Bed safety devices

If you have limited mobility or are at risk of falls, you may wish to look into bed safety devices. These are aids that help to keep you safe when in bed.

Bed rails that stretch the length of the bed can help to provide added security, particularly when combined with soft, padded bumpers that help to ensure that you can’t bang yourself against the bars. These can also potentially help to avoid you trapping a limb between the rail and the mattress. If this sounds a little much for your needs, there are also bed guards, which are slightly smaller, that are designed to act as a safeguard against you falling out of bed. You can get mesh covers for some bed guards to help avoid trapping a limb.

Other safety devices include fall mats, which are placed alongside the bed and will cushion the blow in the event of a fall, and a wide variety of communications systems, emergency alarms and carer call systems.

Overbed tables

Whether for reading, eating or the pursuit of a favourite hobby, an overbed table can be a wonderfully useful accessory.

Overbed tables are floor standing tables that are designed to reach over the bed to give you a handy space to use. Features to consider include height adjustability, tilting tops - to facilitate reading and writing - and easy manoeuvrability, which may also allow the table to be used elsewhere in the home, such as over your favourite chair.

It's important to remember, if you’re choosing a table that’s on wheels, that you need to check the clearance under the bed. Some divan style beds, for example, sit very close to the floor and there may not be enough room for a table on wheels, so you would need a frame suitable for divan beds.

You can also get more conventional bed tray with small, fold-away legs that stand on the bed itself, if space is at a premium.

If you like to know more about overbed tables, click here to read our buying guide.