What Type of Scale Is Best For A Nursing Home?

Accurate weight measurements are crucial in a variety of medical settings, but weight alone is not the only data point to analyze - safety, stability and patient comfort also play an important role. These characteristics all need to be considered, especially when working within the long-term living environment Indeed, regular and accurate weight assessments are essential components of evaluating and treating elderly patients. To ensure you are getting the most accurate weight measurements for nursing home patients, it is vital to choose scales that have been manufactured with those patients in mind. So, what type of scale is best for a nursing home? We have some advice on what components to look for when shopping for a nursing home scale. 

MotionLock Technology

First, the ideal scale for a nursing home setting will have MotionLock Technology. MotionLock is a technological advancement in medical scales that addresses some common difficulties associated with weighing patients. Scales that do not include MotionLock Technology make it difficult to determine a correct weight reading when weighing patients who are unable to be still for extended periods of time. 

MotionLock Technology is Befour’s proprietary scale software that allows for accurate weight assessments of users while in motion. It works like this: A scale outfitted with MotionLock Technology detects if a user is moving and uses the technology to determine weight through a series of distinct, incremental weight readings gathered in quick succession. This approach provides a weight reading that is most often within 0.2 pounds of what is known as “true stable weight.” That’s pretty accurate! 

If you choose a Befour Professional Healthcare Scale for your nursing home setting, you can rest assured that it will include this MotionLock Technology as this software has already been engineered into all Befour Professional Healthcare Scales. This technology will ensure accurate weight readings that are so crucial to nursing home patients’ long term care. 

“Live” or Active Handrails

Of course, many patients in nursing home settings feel safer when they have something stable to hold onto while having their weight assessed. Befour scales with active handrails provide this support by allowing patients to hold onto the handrails without disrupting weight readings. There is no need for a patient to let go at any point in the weighing process. 

Just as MotionLock Technology addresses the issues caused by patient movement, an active handrail addresses many patients’ need for extra support during the weighing process. With active handrails, not only are your patients provided that necessary support but the handrails also contribute to an accurate weight reading. The active handrail captures weight data that coordinates with the scale’s other weight readings, similarly to how the MotionLock Technology works, providing you with an accurate weight measurement, even for patients who are unsteady and need support. 

In summary, active handrails provide additional support for accurate weight readings in nursing home patients while also providing support and comfort to the patients throughout the weighing process. 

Dual Axis Anti-Tip Design

While active handrails provide tremendous support for unsteady individuals, some patients may still want to lean on the scale, which can cause the scale to tip over. With that in mind, in addition to MotionLock Technology and active handrails, it is helpful to choose a scale that features a dual axis anti-tip design to prevent this issue and provide stability. 

A perfect example of a healthcare scale with dual axis anti-tip design is Befour’s MX877. This scale is called THE Exam Room Scale for a reason: In addition to weight measurements, it offers rapidly accurate and simple height measurements and automatically displays body mass index (BMI) information on its console. 

The MX877 has a weight capacity up to 750 lbs and its dual axis anti-tip design makes the scale tip proof through its rock-solid stability. The innovatively engineered design eliminates the possibility of any side-to-side or front-to-back movement of the scale while in use. These scales were specially designed to avoid wobbling and tipping caused by patient movement and are therefore incredibly steady. 

Contact Befour To Inquire About What Type of Scale is Best for A Nursing Home

As you can see, some of the most important features to look for when choosing a healthcare scale for a nursing home setting involve increased patient stability and comfort. MotionLock Technology allows nursing home patients to be weighed accurately even when in motion. “Live” or active handrails offer increased support to physically unstable patients without negatively affecting the integrity of the weight reading. And dual axis anti-tip design ensures that even an actively moving patient will not inadvertently wobble or tip over the scale. 

For further inquiries about what type of scale is best for a nursing home, Befour has the answers and the products you are looking for. We can help you navigate the process of choosing the right scale for your purposes, determining what components are essential for your healthcare setting and your individual patients. Contact us today to discuss the best scale for your nursing home setting.