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Frustration shopping for an overbed table, I think comes from lack of standard.
Here's what the "Overbed for the Elderly" is all about.
Some people call it an overbed with wheels for in-home use.
Some people call it an adjustable hospital bedside table.
"Overbeds" in your home fit "Overcouch" and "Overchair" like a "Stand Up Desk You Can Move" or "Adjustable Surface for Snacks and Drinks".
Amazon shoppers are lucky to note, Amazon.com lists a dedicated page ranking the best-selling overbeds you can use in your home. #ad
Available big names like Drive Medical, Vaunn Medical, and Carex are designed to meet the needs of the elderly and bedridden, but you can find an adjustable table with wheels that looks nice by the bed, sofa, or recliner.
Too many products looking exactly the same makes the choice feel overwhelming.
So let's make an informed decision.
Let's cover what an overbed table is, its uses, and provide a detailed breakdown of the important things to consider when making your purchase.
An overbed table is a kind of table that you can position overtop of a bed.
Most are rectangular in shape, so you slide it forward like a raised skateboard where the wheels and frame at the bottom roll underneath the bed, and the table surface slides right into place for meals and more.
You've seen them in movies for bedridden hospital patients, with a plate of hospital food or a tiny cup with pills and a glass of water.
A handy manageable, moveable, adjustable table top which helps caregivers keep their family members comfortable and entertained?
Since they fit over a bed, they make it easy to do things in bed.
For seniors, the elderly, their caregivers, or people like me who like to stand up and work on their computer - or I suppose I could stand up and eat a plate of food...
Many reputable medical equipment brands offer overbed tables. You can probably equip your home with the same brand overbed table as you saw on your last visit to the hospital or nursing facility.
See Drive Medical on Amazon. #ad This is the model that the OT who came over to our house prescribed to my dad. It’s delivering the versatility and durability I’ve come to expect from the Drive Medical brand for me and my dad.
The table surface is 15 by 30 inches, and it adjusts between 28 inches to 45 inches height.
See Vaunn Medical on Amazon. Slightly more expensive, and comparable size-wise. I like its rounded look, and customers praise its stability and ease of assembly.
The table surface is 15 by 30 inches (the same as Drive), and it adjusts between 29 and 40 inches height (not as high as Drive).
See Carex on Amazon. The most-different of all for it's soft to feel plastic protective base to stay away from stubbed toes.
The C-shape frame creates the most space for leggs to stretch unobstructed. Some consumers might not like the hospital-feel this gray plastic looking table looks in their home.
See Invacare Assistive Equipment on Amazon. The tilt top table surface is 15 by 30 inches (the same as Drive), and it adjusts between 28 to 40 inches (not as high as Drive). And don’t forget, it tilts up to 50 degrees in either direction.
I still don’t know why people want to tilt, when there’s nothing to keep your coffee from slipping off.
"...Do hospital-quality overbed tables cost an arm and a leg? The kind I've seen in assisted living facilities look pretty fancy - and pricey!..."
Without question, overbed tables can be used in-home the same way you use them in hospitals. It's not too expensive or too technical for informal caregivers to handle.
Overbed tables are commonly used in facilities equipped for clientelle with aging-related needs - like hospitals, long-term care facilities, and assisted living communities.
Overbed tables are also commonly used by seniors choosing to aging in place.
Overbed tables are also also commonly used by caregivers to the elderly or people who spend long periods of time in bed or recliner chairs and like to watch TV while eating.
If the overbed is tall enough, computer users like me use my dad's overbed table as a makeshift standup desk while he and me are hanging out in the living room.
It's better than a two-hands TV tray because you don't need another surface to set the TV tray when you need to get up and go to the bathroom - you just slide the overbed table out of the way and get up, with the fare still set neatly on the table.
Before you add to cart, make sure the overbed table you fancy also meets your needs to fit into your lifestyle:
Overall Construction. The bottom part of most overbed tables are constructed with a steel base frame with wheels on the very bottom. The top part of most overbed tables is constructed of wood composite board and a clear laminate to spills don't soak in the wood.
Tabletop Size (to fit the bed you'll use it with). The tabletop size matters down to the inch. Measure the dimensions of both UNDER and OVER the bed. You need to make know (1) how much room you have for the wheels to slide under the bed (2) how high up from the floor the table surface will be to provide the most accissible fit for meals for the person in bed. That's where common features such as adjustable table height and low-profile wheels help you out.
Base Frame (connected to the wheels). I've stubbed my toe on the frame which is directly connected to the wheels on the standard-looking model my dad uses at home. We have an H-shape base frame, but U-shape and C-shape metal base frames are also common. Watch your toes, or choose a base frame that's not as hard and sharp. The C-shape base frames are meant to "stay out of the way of your feet" but may come at the tradeoff of stability or sturdiness.
Tilt and Pivot Features. Some overbed tables have a tilting tabletop for activities like reading. Mature hospital and home medical equipment brands offer both styles: tile/swivel-top and normal/flat-top. The tilt and swivel dings and whistles are an extra you might not want or need, and may become more hinder than help. When the delivery of food to mouth with chewing and swallowing is your primary goal of getting an overtop table, then perfectly level and sturdy is the best choice.
Price Range. For a high-rated overbed table in 2023, you can expect to part with $40 to $200. Smaller, basic models are more affordable, while larger tables with additional features tend to be pricier.
We keep our overbed table in the living room next to my dad's favorite chair.
He uses it adjusted down while sitting down in his recliner.
I use it adjusted up while standing by my dad's side.
When on the clock caregiving for my dad, I’ve found entertainment (TV, movies, and music) is a useful tool to calm him down when he’s getting riled up (dementia), and a basic tool (albeit under-stimulating) caregivers use to keep the aging family occupied over extended durations of time in a safe setting (albeit sedentary).
I’ve used my Caregiver By Your Side Standup Desk for one month now, mostly in the living room next to my old dad, and I’m happy to share how it’s changes my perspective, and made meeting my dad’s needs easier for me and my family with able bodies and pretty good hearts (albeit hearts a little shabby).
Our hospice care occupational nurse recommended, rather he delivered, the Drive Medical overbed table into our home.
Our OT assembled it for us, since they were the expert, so I can’t honestly tell you just how easy it wast to put together.
The wheels aren’t as smooth rolling as I’d like, especially on our living room carpet.
It stands stable and steady, and that’s a very good thing.
When we’re not using it, we slide it next to the couch, where it makes a perfect extra living room surface without getting in the way.
The “auto-lock” adjustment mechanism works smoothly. Though I recommend you remove beverages and electronics from the surface before you adjust the height.
The whole thing is easier to move across the floor when it’s adjusted all the way down. If you try to move it when it’s fully extended up, you could potentially tip it over and hurt something or someone. Swing low sweet chariot.
For seniors spending extended periods of time in bed, sofa, or recliner, YES the overbed table is convenient for everyone and promotes independence for adults with certain mobility needs.
Overbed tables let people like my good old dad enjoy activities from the comfort of his favorite chair.
They're relatively inexpensive, and most well-known medical equipment brands carry a standard-looking version.
For special uses, some are even designed for use with chairs, wheelchairs, or lift chairs, or with especially cool swivel and tilt features, or an ergonomic soft-edge bottom frame so you don't stub your toe on the standard-looking model's cubed metal corner OUCH!
