Making a bed with someone in it will be easier if you follow these steps:
1
- The bed has two parts—the side the person is lying on and the side you are making.
- If you have a hospital bed, raise the height of the bed.
- Lower the head and foot of the bed so that it is flat.
2
- Loosen the sheets on all sides.
- Remove the blankets and pillow, leaving only the bottom and top sheets.
- Cover the person with a bath blanket (a flannel sheet or large towel) for modesty and warmth.
- Pull the top sheet out from under the bath blanket.
- Raise the bed rail on the side across from you (the opposite side) so the person cannot fall out of bed. If you don't have a hospital bed, be sure the bed is pushed against the wall.
- Roll the person over to the opposite side of the bed.
3
- Roll all the old bottom sheeting toward the person.
4
- Fold the clean sheet, along with other mattress covers, lengthwise.
- Place it on the bed with the middle fold running along the center of the mattress right beside the person's body.
5
- Unfold the clean sheet and bring enough of it toward you to cover half of the bed.
- Gently lift the mattress and tuck the sheet in.
- Tuck the free edge of the draw sheet under the mattress on your side of the bed.
- Ask the person to roll over the linens in the middle of bed to the clean side.
OR
- Bend as close to the person's body as possible. Place your hand and arm under the person's shoulders and move the person and the bath blanket over the linens in the center of the bed.
- If it is a hospital bed, raise the bed rail on your side and lock it into place.
- Go to the other side and remove all soiled linen. Tuck in all the linen and pull tight on the sheets to remove all wrinkles so they don't rub and irritate the person's skin.
- Change the pillowcase.
- Spread the top sheet over the person and bath blanket.
- Ask the person to hold the sheet while you pull the bath blanket away.
- Tuck the sheet under the mattress at the foot of the bed.
6
- Spread a blanket over the top. (The blanket should be up far enough to cover the person's shoulders.)
- Fold the sheet down over the blanket.
- Adjust the person in bed so he or she is comfortable.
