A bed is the right height for a senior when they can sit on the edge with both feet flat on the floor and their knees bent at about a 90-degree angle. For most older adults, that puts the top of the mattress roughly 18 to 24 inches off the floor, depending on their height. Many modern beds, especially with thick pillow-top mattresses on a box spring and frame, sit well above that. If a parent has to hop up, climb, or use a step stool to get into bed, the bed is too high, and it has become a fall risk.
Why Bed Height Matters for Fall Prevention
Getting in and out of bed is one of the most common moments for a fall at home, especially at night when a senior is drowsy, the room is dark, and they may be hurrying to the bathroom. A bed that's too high forces a senior to slide down to reach the floor, which puts their weight on their feet before they're steady. A bed that's too low causes problems too, since standing up from a deep, low seat takes more leg strength and can lead to falling backward.
A step stool beside the bed is a warning sign. Stepping up onto a small stool and then twisting onto a mattress, or stepping down from it in the dark, is an extreme fall risk for an older adult.
How to Measure the Right Bed Height
Have your parent sit on the edge of the mattress wearing the shoes or slippers they usually wear at night. Both feet should rest flat on the floor, with knees level with or slightly below the hips. If their feet dangle, the bed is too high. If their knees are noticeably higher than their hips, the bed is too low. Measuring the height of the top of the mattress gives a number to take shopping.
What a Bunkie Board Is and How It Lowers a Bed
A bunkie board is a thin, flat platform, usually 1 to 3 inches thick, that replaces a box spring under a mattress. Box springs are often 7 to 9 inches tall, so swapping one for a bunkie board can lower a bed by about 5 to 6 inches without buying a new bed. Bunkie boards are made of wood, particleboard, or metal, often covered in fabric, and they provide firm, even support for most mattresses.
For seniors, a bunkie board is often the simplest fix for a bed that's too high. It works with an existing frame and mattress, costs much less than a new bed, and takes only a few minutes to set up.
Downsides of a Bunkie Board
A bunkie board makes the bed firmer, since it doesn't absorb movement like a box spring. Most people don't notice a difference with a memory foam or hybrid mattress, but some older innerspring mattresses are designed to work with a box spring, so check the manufacturer's guidance first. Bunkie boards also add less airflow under the mattress than a slatted base. Plywood can work as a substitute, but it should be sanded smooth, sized to fit the frame, and drilled with ventilation holes to prevent moisture buildup.
Other Ways to Lower a Bed
Several other options can bring a bed down to a safer height. A low-profile bed frame sits closer to the floor than a standard frame. A thinner mattress, such as one that's 8 to 10 inches thick instead of 14 inches, makes a noticeable difference. An adjustable bed frame or a home hospital bed can be raised and lowered with a remote, which helps seniors with significant mobility challenges. Cutting the legs off a bed frame is possible but can weaken the frame, so it's best avoided.
Bed Assist Handles and Bed Rails for the Elderly
A sturdy bed assist handle, which slides under the mattress and stands beside the bed, gives seniors something solid to hold while sitting up, standing, and getting into bed. Full-length bed rails are a different matter. The FDA has warned that adult portable bed rails can cause entrapment, where a person gets caught between the rail and the mattress, sometimes with fatal results. Talk with a doctor or occupational therapist before using full bed rails, especially for anyone with dementia or limited movement in bed.
More Bedroom Safety Tips
Keep a lamp or touch light within easy reach of the bed, and add motion-activated night-lights along the path to the bathroom. Remove throw rugs and cords from the floor beside the bed. Place a phone, glasses, and water on a nightstand so a senior doesn't have to stand up in the dark. Encourage sitting on the edge of the bed for a few seconds before standing, which gives blood pressure time to adjust and reduces dizziness.
Home Safety Help in Greater Austin
Bed height is one of more than 140 safety items Senior Helpers checks during its LIFE Profile assessment of a senior's home and daily needs. Senior Helpers Austin, Georgetown, and Round Rock personal care caregivers help seniors get in and out of bed safely and move around the home, and return home transitional care supports seniors coming home after a hospital stay, when fall risk is highest. Contact Senior Helpers Austin, Georgetown, and Round Rock to schedule a LIFE Profile assessment.