We have all directly or indirectly partaken in donations as long as we have given out something towards a charitable course before. Although donations are mostly made out of goodwill and intentions, sometimes, the process can be complex as donors may find themselves searching for what and what not to donate.
You may be surprised, but certain items are considered not worthy of being donated probably because it would cost the receiver an extra charge for the donated item to be useful. Some of these items include Venetian blinds, oversized items, broken items, bean bags, abandoned metal chairs, and many more.
Perhaps this is the reason a colleague once asked me, “can you donate a Hospital bed?”
After my encounter with that question, I did my research, and the outcomes are shared in this helpful article.
Table of Contents
Can I donate a hospital bed?
Yes, you can donate a Hospital bed. Many charities and medical associations will gladly accept your Hospital donation beds with open arms. But before doing so, make sure the bed is in good condition and well sanitized if someone with infectious diseases previously used it to make them readily use at no cost to the charity home.
How much does a hospital bed weigh?
Hospital beds are designed differently; therefore, they usually come with different weights. The lightest hospital bed weighs about 182 pounds; an average weight bed weighs between 220 to 320 pounds, and heavy beds can weigh up to 500 pounds.
What takes hospital beds as donations?
You can make your hospital bed donations to charitable houses, the salvation army, churches, close relatives, and local organizations. All these associations, as mentioned above, will receive your hospital or any other medical equipment.
How to donate hospital bed
1. Check with your close relatives
Before looking elsewhere for your hospital bed donations, it will only be right for you to check if there’s anyone close to you that might need a hospital bed but cannot afford them. Approach these people first before looking for a donee outside.
2. Check with your local organization
If one of your close relatives does not need a hospital bed, then you can check with the local offices of any of the charitable organizations like project C.U.R.E, Salvation army, Med-Eq, and others. This organization has an established rule that guides making donations, so you might want to contact them to ask about the process involved.
3. Prepare the hospital bed
After gaining access to adequate information as to the process of making your donations, the next step would be that you get the hospital ready for transit. Make sure that all the parts that need to be repaired are fixed, and if the bed needs to be cleaned, please do so before the authority from these organizations comes for the bed.
4. Get your receipt
A receipt is not only meant for goods bought in cash: you are also entitled to a receipt after making your donations to any of the charitable organizations. These organizations are supposed to issue a receipt after donating the hospital bed; if you are not issued one, please ask for it.
How do you move a heavy hospital bed?
- Hospital beds can be heavy, so it is proper that you have at least one other person that will assist you in carrying the bed.
- While lifting the bed, make sure you bend at your knee and not your back to avoid straining the back.
- If the bed is electronic, make sure to unplug the bed from the wall socket or the power supply before you start to lift or move the bed.
- To make transporting the bed easier, you should try folding the bed around the corner.
- There are bed transport carts designed for transporting folded beds; use them to ease your transportation.
What kind of bed will Medicare pay for?
Medicare will cover the cost of using adjustable hospital beds as long as your doctor consents that it is necessary for your condition. Just know not all adjustable beds are covered by Medicare. For Medicare to cover an adjustable bed, it must have the following qualities.
- The bed must be for medical reasons
- The expected life span of the bed must be at least 3 years.
- It must be durable and capable of being used over and over again.
- It must be capable of being used at home.
How to use a Hospital bed at home
Whether you are using the hospital bed at home or in the hospital, there are certain things you need to do to ensure your safety. You will find details about them below.
- Always ensure that the wheels of the bed are always kept locked and only unlock them when you are about to move them.
- Make sure you have a telephone close to you so that you can easily call for help when you need it.
- Ensure the side rails of the bed are raised at all times unless when you are moving in and out of bed.
- Make sure the hand control pad is never out of your reach so that you can easily adjust positions. You may also need to know how the hand control pad can be effectively used and also practice different positioning of the bed.
- Make sure you adhere strictly to the manufacturer’s instructions regarding bed usage. And also, avoid using the bed once you start perceiving a burning smell from the bed. Instead, call an expert or the manufacturer of the bed for possible causes and ways of fixing it.
Can you donate used bed sheets?
Yes, you can donate used old bedsheets. Your used bedsheet can be donated to thrift stores, homeless shelters, and animal shelters as long as they are in good condition. I mean, you wouldn’t want the receiver of your kind gesture to go through extra effort before they can use your donated items. Therefore, it wouldn’t only be ideal for you to ensure that the old bed sheets are cleaned and hole-free before they are donated.