Bed Rails and Bed Grab Rails

Push up on it, or stop a fall?

Answer that before you buy anything on this page. If the problem is getting from lying down to standing, a bed stick or handle is the right product. Most cost under $300.

If the problem is rolling or climbing out at night, that's a different job. A long rail can do it, but on the wrong person it adds a risk of its own. That decision belongs with an OT.

Sticks and handles for standing

A soft mattress gives nothing to push against. The Bed Stick Cobra ($89.95) slides between the mattress and the base and gives you a 510mm pole to pull on. For a lot of people that's all they need. The Aspire Bed Pole ($89) does the same job, with a crook handle you can move to where your hand falls.

The Stander Econorail ($186.95) weighs under 1kg and snaps together without tools, so it travels to respite. The Bedcane ($236.95) has a padded handle that adjusts from 48 to 55cm and holds 156kg.

If sitting up is the hard part, the BedCaddie ladder ($49.95) is a strap of grips you climb hand over hand.

Rails along the edge

The Stander 30 inch Safety Rail ($336.95) is about 76cm long and pivots down when you pull two pins. The Extend-A-Rail ($236.95) locks at 50 or 75cm, so it's a handle by day and a barrier at night.

The Aspire Drop Down Bed Rail ($259) is 900mm long and folds down out of the way for a transfer. The Care Quip Dropside ($249.95) is 810mm wide and drops below mattress height for a transfer. None of these is a full-length hospital rail. Full-length rails come as an accessory for the care bed itself, built for that frame.

The entrapment risk, plainly

A rail stops a body. It can also catch one. The dangerous spots are the gap between rail and mattress, the gap at the bedhead, and the space under the rail. A head or chest can slip into any of them.

The people most at risk are the ones a rail is often bought for. Someone with dementia or restless nights may try to climb over it. A fall from the top of a rail is worse than a roll off the mattress. That's why we ask for the OT's view before we sell a barrier rail.

If the real need is to stop someone falling out, a bed that lowers to 110mm is often safer than any rail. We go through that in floorline bed or hi-lo bed. We won't pretend any rail removes the risk entirely.

How each one holds on

Under the mattress with a strap. Most Stander and Able Life rails slide between mattress and base, then strap around the bed frame. The strap stops the rail pulling out when you lean on it. Use it every time.

Legs to the floor. The Able Life Sturdy Rail ($211.95) puts your weight into the floor, adjusts from 33 to 53cm and is rated to 182kg. The Stander Mobility Rail ($311.95) also stands on the floor. Its arm swings about 48cm past the bed for a transfer to a wheelchair.

Mattress weight only. The Care Quip Cobra, Removable Rail ($99.95) and Hook Type ($164.95) have no strap. They suit a firm base. On slats with wide gaps, ask us first.

Weight, height and fit

Product	Job	User weight	Fits	Price
Stander BedCaddie	Sit up	About 136kg	Buckles to any frame	$49.95
Aspire Bed Pole	Stand	Not published	Under mattress, crook handle moves	$89
Care Quip Bed Stick Cobra	Stand	Not published	Under mattress, 510mm high	$89.95
Care Quip Removable Rail	Stand	Not published	Under mattress, 600mm high	$99.95
Care Quip Hook Type	Stand	Not published	Under mattress, 520mm high	$164.95
Stander Econorail	Stand	136kg	Any bed, strap	$186.95
Able Life Sturdy Rail	Stand	182kg	Home and hospital beds, legs to floor	$211.95
Able Life Extend-A-Rail	Stand, 75cm barrier	130kg	Mattress 20 to 40cm	$236.95
Stander Bedcane	Stand	156kg	Mattress 27 to 40cm, many adjustable beds	$236.95
Stander Advantage Traveler	Stand, folds	182kg	Mattress 15 to 40cm, not adjustable beds	$248.95
Care Quip Dropside	810mm rail, drops	Not published	Under mattress	$249.95
Aspire Drop Down Bed Rail	900mm rail, folds down	Not published	Under mattress	$259
Signature Life Confidence Handle	Stand	136kg	Height about 50 to 65cm	$273.95
Stander Mobility Rail	Stand and transfer	136kg	Legs to floor, slat gaps under 13cm	$311.95
Stander 30 inch Safety Rail	76cm barrier, pivots down	136kg	Any frame, dual strap	$336.95
Care Quip Smart Rail	Swing-out transfer	Not published	Under mattress, 210 to 660mm high	$749.95

Each maker's published figures. The Bedside MightyRail ($186.95) is the Econorail under its Able Life name. Care Quip and Aspire don't publish a user weight for these, so ask us before ordering one for anyone over 100kg.

Standard bed or care bed

Measure the mattress thickness first. A rail that sits too low on a deep mattress is no use as a handle and worse as a barrier. The Advantage Traveler won't fit an adjustable base at all. The Bedcane fits the common ones.

On an electric care bed the sections move, and a strap rail across a knee break can jam. Match the rail to the bed maker's own accessory list. If someone can roll and sit up on their own, a self-help pole hung from the frame often does more than a side rail. Ask us about one through bed accessories.

Using it safely

Once it's fitted, lie on the bed and push the rail hard from both sides. If it moves, tighten the strap or send it back. Check it again after every sheet change.

If you're the one who hears the thud down the hall at 2am, a barrier rail feels like the obvious fix. Try a handle, a night light and the bed at its lowest first. A carer helping with a transfer stands on the open side and lets the person pull on the rail. Never lift under the arms.

NDIS and bed rails

Everything here is under $1,500, which makes it low cost assistive technology. Participants can buy it from the core budget without a quote or an OT report. It only has to relate to the disability in the plan. The NDIA sets out the bands on its assistive technology page.

For a barrier rail we'd still want the OT's view, for safety rather than funding. We're NDIS registered (4050144759). Plan managed and agency managed participants order through us, and self managed participants pay and claim. If a bed is the better answer, our bed funding guide covers that.

Common questions

Rail or floorline bed?

If someone rolls out, climbs out or has dementia, a bed that drops to 110mm is usually safer than a rail. A rail suits someone steady in bed who needs help standing. We weigh it up in floorline bed or hi-lo bed.

Which is the cheapest that works?

For standing, the Aspire Bed Pole at $89 or the Bed Stick Cobra at $89.95, on a firm base. For sitting up, the BedCaddie at $49.95. Spend more only if you need a weight rating, a strap, or a rail that extends.

Will it fit my adjustable bed?

Sometimes. The Bedcane fits many adjustable beds, the Advantage Traveler fits none. Tell us the bed brand and the mattress thickness and we'll check before you order.

Does it help with wheelchair transfers?

The Stander Mobility Rail and the Care Quip Smart Rail both swing out past the bed edge for that. If the move itself is the hard part, our transfer aids may do more than a rail.

Is a bed rail a restraint?

A rail used to keep someone in bed against their will can be. At home, talk to the OT or GP before using any rail as a barrier.

Can I return it if it doesn't fit?

Yes, within 14 days. Our refund policy has the conditions.