“I hadn’t slept in a bed since halfway through 2020,” she explains. “There’s no better space than having your own bed. It was just devastating not being able to use one.”
The Tauranga woman suffered a nasty fall while trying to disembark an airplane in windy conditions at Wellington Airport in February 2020 and has been in tremendous pain ever since.
“I wrenched my left hip, leg and arm,” she recalls. “Covid came along just afterwards so I was unable to get any treatment at that time. Then I had another accident in November 2021 at home. I tripped with the same leg and arm going over a metal ridge door.”
“I’ve been living in chronic pain and it’s impacted my life hugely. My leg seemed to disconnect with my brain, and I just couldn't lift it. I needed to take medication regularly which meant I couldn’t drive. I also couldn't get in and out of the car. And because I hurt my shoulder as well, I couldn’t lift my arm. Any physical tasks like hanging out washing or carrying items, I could no longer do.”
The former nurse had to give up her caregiving job with Healthcare NZ. And having previously spent countless hours volunteering in the disability sector, she was now the one in need of care and support.
A family holiday to Hawke’s Bay reinforced the need for Julia’s sleeping arrangements to be sorted. “We had to buy a La-Z-Boy off TradeMe and haul it into this really flash apartment where we were staying, just so I could sleep. So that made me really start thinking about beds. I'm 76 and I plan to be around for at least another 20 years, so I thought I might as well get a decent bed!”
Julia and her daughter researched extensively, and eventually found some electric bed options on Cubro’s website. “My daughter actually whizzed down to Cubro in Tauriko to have a look at what was available, which was marvelous. She talked to an amazing person down there who was really helpful. She came back with more photos and some extra information for me to look at.”
Julia’s main requirement was to have a bed that was height adjustable – low enough that she could easily get on and off the mattress, and high enough that it is comfortable to make the bed without putting pressure on her back. She is currently recovering from a hip replacement, so once her legs are over the edge, she often raises the bed slightly using the hand control panel to help get up into a standing position.
Julia says the scratch-resistant footboard is useful to hold onto when she is walking around the room, and she enjoys being able to automatically sit up or raise her feet to improve her circulation at the touch of a button. “The hand controller is very easy to use. And it’s got a really good clip which clips onto all sorts of surfaces.”
“Emotionally, it’s so much nicer to be sleeping in a bed again because you’ve got more freedom. I have more space to move my leg and do all my hip exercises in the bed. And because it's a small footboard, I can actually just put my bedding over the top. I don't have to tuck it in at all.”
“I also had fun re- designing my room. I had given my queen bed away to my granddaughter, and so my bedroom was a bit empty. I’ve rearranged things so my bed goes in the middle of the room so I can get in left or right. And I still kept my La-Z-Boy beside me sitting in the sun for when I need some peace and quiet.”
To find out more about our beds, please get in touch with our team.
Cubro case studies are based on actual testimonials provided by real customers and users of our solutions. In some testimonials to protect the identity of the users, we have changed a name and used a stock photo. Our case studies describe our past work with customers and users, and detail solutions that have improved their quality of life. As each individual user has a unique set of needs and requirements, the content in these case studies should not be used as a substitute for professional advice from a registered clinician.