GB2468685A - Mobility Assist Sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

A bed sheet comprises a central portion 3 formed of a material having a coefficient of friction lower than that of the material of the surround 4. The provision of a low friction material in the centre of the sheet is advantageous for patients with vulnerable or fragile skin in the buttocks and sacral area by reducing or preventing pressure sores. Also it assists in the retention of dressings on any wounds that may already have formed. The higher frictional surround provides the patient with the purchase needed by the upper and lower peripherals to facilitate turning. The material of the central portion is preferably woven to provide breathability, although it may be impermeable if it is desired to prevent bed wetting. Although seams should be avoided in areas such as the foot end 6, seams 7 may be placed where the risk that they will rub fragile parts of the patient's skin is low.

Description

MOBILITY ASSIST SHEET

The present invention relates to a bed sheet for the facilitation of mobility in patients suffering from difficulties with moving when lying down due to physical impairments as a result of neurological or other health disorders.

Usually bed sheets made from material such as polycotton have a high friction coefficient which restricts the movement of such patients when lying in bed.

The needs of those suffering from movement problems, or neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, are unique in that they require a high degree of friction on the parts of the bed that give purchase to the feet, legs and hands in order to align and readjust themselves overnight into positions that are most comfortable for sleep. However, because of their physical impairments such people are prevented from moving satisfactorily by the high friction of standard bed-linen which compounds poor mobility in the central region of the body. This can be a regular night-time problem even for patients who have relatively good mobility during the day since, for example, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease increase when lying down due to muscle rigidity, poverty of movement, and decreasing concentrations of medication in the patient's body overnight.

Furthermore, it is desirable that patients can easily vary their position during a period of sleep so that no one part of the body is subject to pressure for too long. In some cases prolonged pressure on parts of the body with poor circulation may lead to the formation of bedsores.

Existing practice in the management of such patients makes use of several aids and devices, sometimes in combination: -An overlay of silk or satin may be placed loosely over the middle of the lower bed sheet and held by tucking in at the side edges of the bed. This is inconvenient in use, expensive, and lacks durability, particularly with respect to laundering. The patient may complain that the sheet feels cold.

-A full-length silk or satin lower sheet may be used. This does not provide the purchase needed by the upper and lower peripherals to facilitate turning. It is expensive, and lacks durability, particularly with respect to laundering. The patient may complain that the sheet feels cold.

-Silk or satin pyjamas may be worn. However, an increased tendency towards sweating is commonly reported by those wearing satin night clothes. Silk is expensive, and both fabrics lack durability, particularly with respect to laundering.

-All three methods detailed above carry a risk of sliding unintentionally off the side of the bed when seated there, especially in the case of a relatively short person or a relatively high bed.

-A bedside rail may be installed. This may primarily be of assistance with getting into and out of bed. Tt is not available if the patient wishes to sleep in another bed either at home, or during stays away from their adapted bed.

According to the present invention there is provided a bed sheet comprising a central portion formed of a material having a coefficient of friction lower than that of the material of the surround.

The provision of a low friction material in the centre of the sheet is advantageous for patients with vulnerable or fragile skin in the buttocks and sacral area by reducing or preventing pressure sores. Also it assists in the retention of dressings on any wounds that may already have formed. The higher frictional surround provides the patient with the purchase needed by the upper and lower peripherals to facilitate turning.

The material of the central portion is preferably woven to provide breathability. However in one embodiment in which it is desired to prevent bed wetting the material may be impermeable.

Further advantages may be obtained by making the central portion of a material similar to that described in GB Patent number 2403149 in which the coefficient of friction is less than 0.4 and/or the coefficient of static friction is substantially the same as its coefficient of dynamic friction. This reduces the damage to tender skin surfaces.

In order to form the surround economically it may be preferable to form the surround in separate panels which are then sewn together. However, seams should avoid areas such as at the foot of the sheet where there is a risk that the seam or seams could rub the patient's skin. It may be necessary in order to reduce seams to sew a sheet of low friction material in the centre of a higher frictional material so that the surround is formed around the central portion of the complete sheet.

The low-friction panel should preferably be placed towards the head end of the bed so as to facilitate movement of the trunk, hips and head and the high-friction panels should provide good purchase for the peripheral parts used to assist movement, particularly the feet and legs. With this configuration, the patient has the benefit of low friction under the central and heaviest area of the body, while retaining the leverage in peripheral areas to facilitate ease of movement. Materials of the type disclosed in Patent GB2403 149 are preferably used for the low-friction panel since they combine absence of "stiction", which is best for ease of movement of the central part of the patient's body, with strength, durability, particularly with respect to laundering, and comfort in use, and with no tendency to sweatiness or feeling cold or too hot, all of which are important properties that are attractive to patients or their carers. The word "stiction" is used to describe the effect of initial sticking of a body on a material where the static and dynamic coefficients are unequal.

The central panel may be stitched into the sheet as an insert, or over the higher frictional part, or affixed in other ways.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a plan view of a bed sheet according to the invention in which a central portion of low frictional coefficient is inserted or applied to a single surround sheet, and Figure 2 is a plan view of a bed sheet according to a second embodiment of the invention in which the surround is formed from four separate portions or panels sewn together with a smaller head portion or panel and larger foot portion or panel.

Figures 1 and 2 show schematic top views of sheets according to this invention designed as fitted sheets for a single bed. It will be evident that many more variations are possible within the scope of the invention, including, but not restricted to, flat or semi-fifed designs of sheet, and sheets designed for double and other sizes and shapes of mattress.

Figure 1 shows the top surface of a mobility assist sheet 1 with a valance (not shown) around the edges 2 that enables the sheet to fit snugly onto a mattress. The overall dimensions of the sheet match those of the mattress. In the case of a single bed as shown schematically in Figure 1, the mattress is approximately 90 cm (36 inches) in width by 190 cm (75 inches) in length. The sheet comprises a panel 3 of the low-friction material surrounded by the higher-friction material 4. For a single bed the panel 3 is typically about 66 cm (26 inches) wide and about 94 cm (37 inches) in length. The top edge of the panel is located towards the head end 5 of the mattress, about 25 cm (10 inches) from its top edge.

Figure 2 shows a variation in design with additional seams to enable the parts of the sheet to be cut more economically from the rolls of material, thus saving cost. Referring to Figure 2, although seams should be avoided in areas, such as the foot end 6, where there is risk that they will rub the patient's skin, seams 7 are placed in an area where this risk is low.

In a practical implementation of this invention, a mobility assist sheet substantially according to Figure 1 was constructed from 120 g/m2 polycotton and 235 decitex 120 g/m2 ParafrictaTM fabric supplied by APA Parafricta Limited.

Clinical testing of the sheet was conducted by a highly experienced State Registered Occupational Therapist with a special interest in Parkinson's disease and related Movement Disorders. In one case, the mobility assist sheet was tested on a female patient aged 64 years who had been diagnosed with multiple system atrophy (MSA) approximately two years before the test. MSA is related to Parkinson's disease, but is more rapid and aggressive in development. It is minimally responsive to anti-Parkinson's drugs, has a strong autonomic dysfunction element, and usually causes significant loss of strength, stamina and dexterity within a very few years of first symptom onset. No other medical conditions affecting her bed mobility were reported by the patient. Her general mobility was limited. She was only able to walk short distances with difficulty indoors.

Her home was adapted to suit her special needs. She needed assistance with domestic and some personal care tasks including, at times, with bed mobility. A wheelchair was used for outdoor mobility. She lived with her husband in a private house and received regular carer services several times a week, but had a good outlook and was very keen to be as physically independent as possible.

Prior to the test the patient used the following aids and devices to promote bed mobility: -Bedside rail always used to assist getting into bed, to change position when in bed, and to aid getting out of bed, during the preceding 12 months.

-Full length satin-silk sheet used for past 12 months to aid movement when in bed.

-Silk pyjamas worn at times during past 12 months as further aid to moving in bed.

Even with these aids and devices she: -Occasionally needed assistance of another person to get into bed for the preceding 6 months.

-Occasionally needed assistance of another person to change position when in bed, for the previous 6 months.

-Occasionally needed assistance of another person to get out of bed for the preceding 12 months.

The patient reported that with her own satin-silk full length sheet she -Never felt too hot or sweaty when in bed.

-Often felt too cold when in bed.

-Rarely felt that her body temperature was "just right" when in bed.

The patient tested the mobility assist sheet on her bed, reporting fully after seven nights with a further brief report after two months. She reported that: -Getting into bed was easier.

-Turning from side to side and adjusting position in bed was much easier.

-Getting out also took much less effort, as it was easy to slide over to the side of the bed to get out.

-It helped that the mobility assist sheet allowed her to grip with her feet on the standard sheet fabric area at the bottom end of the mattress, and this helped her to move more easily.

-The mobility assist sheet did not inhibit the use of the bedside grab rail, but there was also less reliance on the rail as movement was improved.

-Assistance of another person was not needed.

-Never felt too hot or sweaty when in bed.

-Never felt too cold when in bed.

-Often felt body temperature to be just right' when in bed.

-When, briefly, she reverted to using her full-length satin-silk sheet, she had then to spend 30 minutes struggling to get out of bed each time she did so.

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS1. A bed sheet comprising a central portion and a material surround, the central portion formed of a material having coefficient of friction lower than that of the material of the surround.
2. 2. A sheet according to claim 1 in which the central portion of the sheet is located closer to one end of the sheet than to the other end.
3. 3. A sheet according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the central portion has coefficient of friction less than 0.4.
4. 4. A sheet according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the central portion has a coefficient of static friction substantially the same as its coefficient of dynamic friction.
5. 5. A sheet according to any one or more of claims 1 to 4 in which the material of the central portion is woven.
6. 6. A sheet according to any one or more of claims 1 to 5 wherein the surround material is woven.
7. 7. A sheet according to any one or more of claims 1 to 6 wherein the surround material is formed of several portions.
8. 8. A sheet according to any one or more of claims 1 to 7 wherein both central and surround materials are woven.
9. 9. A bed sheet substantially as described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
10. 10. A bed sheet substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.