Like everything else around us, health care and health care products have evolved over the years, particularly health care furniture, also called behavioral health furniture.

Health care providers realized one of the ways to make patients happy, therefore gaining their loyalty and becoming reputable, they needed to invest in furniture and equipment that not only is appealing and friendly but also serve patients, caregivers and visitors alike, well. They concluded five very important issues to consider when purchasing furniture, whether for hospitals, clinics, nursing homes or luxury senior resorts. Those five elements are cleanability, ergonomics, bariatrics, sustainability, and family-friendly. Not only should you think about patients but you should also need to incorporate the safety and lively hood of the caregivers and family members.

Cleanability is the ability to not only clean the furniture but also to prevent infections. Cleaning agents in healthcare are strong and used several times daily, therefore the material used to build the furniture need to be durable and made so the cleaning can be done swiftly, efficiently so every nook and every surface is easily reached and disinfected to prevent the threat of superbugs so common in health care facilities.

Ergonomics in health care furniture is the ease for patients they feel when using the furniture for a long period of time. Depending on the patient’s physique and mobility, ergonomically made furniture gives more comfort to the patient and safety for the caregiver as well. For example, a chair seat a few inches higher can reduce back pain simply by allowing the caregiver to not bend as far down and give better care. A company named V6 Wall Station from Humanscale Corp came up with a flexible monitor arm that helps patient-caregiver interactions and also ables the caregiver to help the patient either sitting or standing. A lift recliner is another example, caring for someone in a safer manner and encourages trust, less stress for the patient.

Bariatrics. Health care providers, having to care more often with overweight and obese patients, buy furniture specifically made to hold up to 750 pounds, reassuring any patients when entering or exiting the behavioral health furniture and offering integrity at the same time. It made also to lessen the chances of skin lesions, which happens a lot on bigger patients due to their lack of mobility and their skin fragility.

Sustainability. Nowadays, it is standard for any building material to be environmentally friendly and in the health care industry, it is a must. Questions about how the furniture was made such as, is the material used the safest out there? Are the chemicals in the material that could show adverse reactions to patients? Are the materials in the furnishings recyclable?

Finally, family-friendly. Family members want to help their loved ones when they are in a Healthcare facility. Having sofas or chairs that turn into beds so they can spend the night in comfort, is one way to show family members health care providers care and support them.

Waiting areas now are furnished with comfortable furniture and pleasant surroundings often with an internet connection, so family members and visitors can spend their time with diminished worries, and not as bored as in the past.

Next time you enter a health care facility whether for yourself or for a loved one, remember companies such as IOA Healthcare, Kwalu, GLOBALcare and so many more too numerous to mention, who are in the health care furniture business and who work diligently to come up with ways to make you feel safer, comfortable, relaxed and happier.