As my mid-term theme is TUI for someone who is confined to bed, I observed how people including the patient and his/her family are interacting with things in the space.
I observed bed rails have multiple roles such as protection from falling and grab bars for patients. In addition to them, people around the patient are also interacitng with bed rails through a thoughtless act; people lean on bed rails. The attached image is its example. When patients are in serious situations, family members often take this thoughtless act to carefully monitor the patients.
This behaviror also reflects strong emotion of family members. Their worry, intention of support for patients, and in some cases, feeling of helplessness. While doctors and nurses are also regularly monitoring the patients, they hardly take this thoughtless act. It may be not only because they don't stay with patients for too long, but also because they don't have the same emotions as family members'.
I also experienced this throughless act myself many times when taking care of my family at hosipital. My chin and arms started to hurt as bed rails were made of hard material. If there would be a small soft table top which can be equipped to bed rails, it may be able to reduce this uncomfortable feeling.
- Login to post comments
