Can You Add Safety Rails to a Flexabed Adjustable Bed?

Can You Add Safety Rails to a Flexabed Adjustable Bed?

Yes. Flexabed offers side rails as an accessory across its adjustable bed lineup, including the Hi-Low, Premier, and Value Flex models. Rails attach directly to the bed frame and fold away when not in use, making them a flexible safety addition rather than a permanent fixture.

The one model exception is the split-queen configuration, which lacks the support plates needed to mount rails.

What Are Flexabed Safety Rails Designed For?

Flexabed safety rails are designed to provide added security while sleeping. They are not intended to support a person's weight while getting into or out of bed.

This distinction matters. Rails reduce the risk of rolling out of bed during sleep and give a person a stable point of contact for repositioning while lying down. They are not a grab bar, a transfer aid, or a substitute for a caregiver's physical assistance during a stand-to-sit or sit-to-stand movement. Treating them as a weight-bearing support during a transfer creates a fall risk rather than preventing one.

For patients who need physical support getting in and out of bed, a properly rated transfer aid or caregiver assistance is the correct solution. Rails serve a different purpose: overnight security and in-bed repositioning.

Types of Flexabed Rail Setup

Rails can be installed on one side of the bed or both sides, depending on the need. Each bed can accommodate up to two rails on each side, equaling four rails total, covering the head and foot portions of each side independently.

A single half-rail on one side is often enough for a person who only needs protection on the side facing away from the room. Two rails on one side, or rails on both sides, provide fuller coverage for higher fall risk or for patients who reposition frequently throughout the night.

Rail covers are also available, designed with a large pocket for storing items like a remote, glasses, or a phone within easy reach. The covers cushion the rail itself, which adds comfort and reduces the risk of bruising or skin injury from contact with the bare rail.

Installation Overview

Flexabed side rails are designed for straightforward installation onto the bed's frame using the factory-prepared mounting points. For a complete visual walkthrough of the installation process, this video covers the full setup from start to finish:

Rails ship separately from the bed frame and are intended to be installed after the bed itself is set up. Following the manufacturer's installation sequence ensures the mounting plates seat correctly and the rail locks securely once raised.

Raised vs. Lowered Position

A Flexabed safety rail can be raised for sleep and lowered when entry, exit, or hands-on caregiving is needed. This raised-to-lowered transition is demonstrated directly in the installation video around the 5:26 mark, showing how the rail mechanism shifts between the two positions.

Importantly, the rail position is adjusted by someone outside the bed, not by the person lying in it. This is intentional. A rail that could be raised or lowered from inside the bed by the patient would undermine the security the rail is meant to provide overnight.

Who Benefits Most From Side Rails?

Side rails are most useful for people who need a stable reference point while sleeping or repositioning, rather than physical support for getting in and out of bed. Common situations include:

• Restless sleepers who shift positions frequently overnight and benefit from a physical boundary at the edge of the bed
• Patients with Parkinson's disease whose tremors or involuntary movement increase the risk of rolling toward the bed's edge
• Patients with dementia or confusion who may not recognize the edge of the bed in low light or during disorientation
• Caregivers managing nighttime repositioning who want an added layer of security between checks
• Recovering patients who need a consistent point of contact to shift their own position without calling for help every time

Rails are an addition to a broader safety plan, not a replacement for supervision, proper bed height, or transfer assistance where that is medically necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Flexabed safety rails be lowered? 
Yes. The rail can be lowered below the top of most mattresses to allow easy exit, entry, or caregiver access. The position is adjusted by someone outside the bed, not by the person lying in it.

Are Flexabed safety rails designed to help me get in and out of bed? 
No. They are designed to provide added security while sleeping and to assist with repositioning in bed. They are not intended to support a person's weight during a transfer in or out of bed.

Can safety rails be installed on both sides of the bed? 
Yes. Rails can be installed on one side or both sides of the bed, with up to two rails per side, for a maximum of four rails total.

Do safety rails interfere with adjustable bed positions? 
No. Safety rails are designed to work alongside the bed's head, foot, and hi-low adjustments without restricting movement. They fold away when not needed.

Is there a rail cover available? 
Yes. Flexabed offers rail covers with a large pocket for storing items like a remote, glasses, or a phone. The covers also cushion the rail for added comfort.