Those who care for people with some form of dementia or cognitive impairment-related illness know how complicated it is. Sometimes it is necessary to resort to bed restraint systems to prevent falls and/or self-harm.
Bed belts are indicated for this type of patients who need to be immobilised and limited in their movement for their own safety and also for the safety of their carers and relatives.
It is true, and we know, that it is a complicated decision to use restraint systems, but sometimes it is necessary.
We must bear in mind that their use must be prescribed and recommended by a health professional. Their use is regulated and must follow their protocols. There are even countries where their use is prohibited.
At Ubiotex we know that the health and safety of the patient is paramount, and should only be taken into account in cases of force majeure. Therefore, in parallel, we have developed a range of protective items, which do not prevent the fall but the possible damage that can be caused to the person. You can take a look at them in our previous post.
But as we said, there are cases in which the use of bed belts is necessary, for the health and safety of the patient and their caregivers.
We have a wide variety of belts (abdominal, perineal, chest, wrist or ankle belts). We manufacture them in 3 different types of fabrics (padded, polypropylene and canvas) and also with 3 types of fasteners. Your choice will depend on the use and type of user.
Let’s take a look at the fabrics in which we manufacture our belts.
- The quilted fabric is composed of 20% suede (100% polyester), 20% velour (100% polyamide) and 60% foam.
- It cannot be washed at temperatures above 40º.
- The polypropylene fabric is 100% polypropylene.
- This type of belts can be washed at temperatures above 40º (maximum 90º).
- Canvas fabric consists of 75% cotton and 25% polyester.
- Like polypropylene it can be washed up to 90º.
Therefore, the temperature at which the belt needs to be washed will be key when deciding on one fabric or another.
What types of fastenings do we put on our bed belts?
The buckle fastener is made of pvc. It does not require maintenance. If it is not a safety buckle, it can be opened and closed by any user.
The magnet lock consists of a button which is locked when it is inserted into the metal stem. It is very easy and quick to attach. It can only be opened with its magnetic key. This means that this type of belt can only be opened by the authorised person with the key.
The ironclip lock is a stainless steel turned shank button-monkey block with a groove. It is very strong and offers maximum security. It has a key for opening, but can also be opened with a 50 cent or 1 euro coin. Therefore, the opening of belts with this type of lock is not limited to the person who has the key.
On this occasion, the choice of the type of fastening will depend on whether or not to limit the people who can put the belt on and take it off.
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We hope we have helped you and that you know a little better the types of bed belts we have available. But if you have any doubts, and you need us to help you, write to us and we will give you a hand to choose the most suitable bed belt.