Reasons to Buy Contract Vs. Retail Furniture.

• Contract-grade furniture is designed and built by specialized manufacturers whose construction methods and materials produce a higher-quality piece of furniture that stands up to heavy use. Additionally, fabrics for contract environments are tested to standards that are not applicable in residential design.

• Fabric finishes are far more durable than a traditional Scotch-Guard surface treatment and many fabric finishes can handle urine and body fluids without penetrating vulnerable foam and frame components of seating pieces.
  

• Contract furniture designs can easily adapt dimensions of seating pieces to accommodate bariatric and limited mobility needs. Reinforced and metal frames can allow up to 800 lb. per seating surface.  Shorter seat depths and higher arm heights on sofas, loveseats and chairs enables mobility by making the physics of taking a person from a seated position to a standing position an easier transition.

• Many health care facilities are subject to inspection and accreditation standards so making sure that all design elements including furniture and fixtures comply is essential.

• Patient and staff safety is always a primary concern. Understanding the specific needs of the patient population, staff and visitors is crucial since design needs may include things like managing self-harm risk, preventing assemblies that can be used as weapons, eliminating sharp edges, minimizing tripping or falling risks and optimizing independence are topics that many designers have not had to take into consideration on non-contract projects.

Something for Everybody AND EVERY BODY!

So what exactly does bariatric furniture mean?

In the world of ho-hum furniture for health care and facility furniture, things are heating up.

The baby boomers are hitting the health care market en masse for both acute and extended care services. As the country's largest consumer-base, the fifty-plus crowd are not just consumers of health care services, they are also decision-makers for respite care for their aging parents. While cost is a primary driver of choices of health care facilities of all types, aesthetics plays a huge role in the decision process.

"Bariatric" is a broad word that encompasses the needs of people over recommended body weight.

For contract healthcare facilities that serve infants and youth, the end of 2012 marked the beginning of the US Consumer Product Safety Commissions’ (CPSC) new crib safety standards.

 
So what is different in the new standards?

• Most notably, the new standards eliminate ay drop side rail cribs. Drop side rails have been available on cribs for decades and had been considered an industry standard. Care providers whno have become used to the convenience of the drop side rail to facilitate reaching in for infants and toddlers can be assured that new models can include hinged access panels or adjustable height mattresses.
• Additional standards upgrades include heavy, more durable hardware; thicker, stronger slats; and heavier mattress supports.
• Here is a quick reference highlighting the compliance changes: (see crib safety diagram)

 
The most reliable way to check for crib compliance on existing cribs:

• ...is to look at the date of manufacture which is typically affixed to the underside of the crib frame. Cribs manufactured after 07/28/11 should be compliant since the CPSC heavily enforced compliance by US manufacturers and retailers.
• No drop side rail cribs are permissible so if you are working with drop side cribs you can be assured your cribs do not meet new standards.
•  Also, decorative elements are no longer acceptable so any cribs with any adornments are not compliant.
• Other features like stronger slats and mattress supports are not easily distinguished so date of manufacture or a copy of your cribs’ compliance certificates might be the best way to determine whether or not your crib needs replacing.

Patients and consumers with incontinence create a special kind of demand on staff and direct service providers.

With the growing demands for WELL-DESIGNED FURNITURE to help care givers manage limited mobility and incontinence, consider these 5 little-known facts that might make life easier for anyone dealing with incontinence:

• POP-OUT SEATS are by far the most innovative solution for fluid issues. With this design, the entire seat of an upholstered sofa, loveseat or chair “pops” out leaving just an open frame to allow easy mopping and cleaning of fluids. Urine, or any fluid, flows through to the floor and eliminates pooling on upholstery or into wood frames.
• SELF-DECKING is a technique that uses a length of fluid-proof fabric under upholstered sofa, loveseat or chair cushions that “catches” fluids to prevent them from hitting the floor or soaking into foam and furniture frames. This is typically an inexpensive way to significantly reduce damage caused by urine and fluids.
• VINYL fABRICS are a fluid-proof upholstery option that is low cost and highly durable. The best news is that vinyl is no longer the sticky, hot plastic-like fabric it was mid-century. Soft and stylish options make it a stand-out choice for incontinence or any furniture in areas that might take a few spills.
• Many FABRIC TREATMENTS are now readily available on an endless variety of upholstery fabrics. Some treatments, like Crypton, penetrate the entire weave of the fabric, making the entire knit fluid-resistant. This penetration of the treatment makes it far superior to surface treatments that might wear off after repeated cleaning of soiled areas.
• As an added safe-guard for any upholstery option, fluid-proof liners can be added to almost any contract upholstered furniture. These liners add extra protection for foam that can still be vulnerable to urine and fluids that seep in through fabric, zippers, welting and seams.

Consult a trusted Contract Furniture provider for the right advice for your patients, staff and budget.

If You Work in a HEALTHCARE FACILITY That Strives to Offer Independent Living to Consumers and Patients, You Already Know that FURNITURE PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE.

Furniture is not only essential for productive activities and organized dining; the furniture design itself can become an important element in the quest for real independence.