Boosting Resident Wellness with Broda This Winter: Actionable Tips & Insights 

Winter brings unique challenges for residents in long-term care, with shorter days, colder temperatures, circulating illnesses, and inclement weather often leading to decreased mobility, reduced social interaction, and increased risk of decline to physical and mental health. Delivering the highest standard of care means finding ways to encourage residents to remain active, connected, and comfortable throughout the season. 

A powerful, evidence-based strategy is helping residents spend more time out of bed. Research shows that long-term care residents who spend more than six hours out of bed daily experience a 57% reduction in mortality rates.¹ Facilitating more time out of bed is a remarkable opportunity to enrich physical health, enhance social connection, and support emotional wellbeing. 

Broda is your trusted partner in realizing these wellness gains. A thoughtfully designed wheelchair can make time out of bed comfortable, enjoyable, and safe for every resident, positioning your facility to achieve the best possible outcomes. 

Broda Wheelchairs: Supporting More Time Out of Bed 

Spending extra hours out of bed is associated with improved health and quality of life, but only if seating solutions are individualized, supportive, and easy to use. Broda wheelchairs help make longer out-of-bed periods both possible and enjoyable.  

Immersive Seating Technology 

Why settle for a standard, solid wheelchair seat when your residents can experience individualized immersion? Our Comfort Tension Seating® system distributes pressure evenly, minimizing discomfort and risk of skin breakdown, even for residents who remain seated for extended periods. The straps respond to the body’s heat and yield to every contour without the need for manual adjustment or expensive customizations.  

Bed Sore Prevention During Winter 

During the wintertime, bed sores (also known as pressure injuries), become more common.² Cold, dry weather can make fragile skin even more vulnerable to breakdown and shear forces. With Broda’s individualized pressure relief, facilities can prevent bed sores before they occur.  

Improved Sitting Tolerance 

Broda comfort is especially important for residents who have a very low sitting tolerance. Many such individuals find that a Broda wheelchair is the only solution to enjoy time out of bed without pain.  

Fewer Transfers 

When Broda’s Comfort Tension Seating® is paired with tilt and recline positioning features, your clinical team will find that residents request fewer transfers throughout the day. These positioning features also make daily care more seamless, further reducing the need for transfers. For example, the recline functionality on Broda’s positioning wheelchairs makes it simple to change incontinence products, replace catheters, and perform many other aspects of routine care. 

Community Engagement 

Just as importantly, Broda wheelchairs prevent social isolation and improve emotional health. When residents are up and in the heart of the community, they benefit from richer interactions, increased participation in meaningful activities, and greater feelings of independence. With this increased participation in life outside their room, residents are more likely to feel at home in your facility and satisfied with their care. 

Actionable Tips: Helping Residents Spend More Time Out of Bed with Broda 

Promoting extended out-of-bed time in winter can transform resident wellness. Here are our top tips for maximizing the benefits with Broda: 

• Use Simple Lateral Transfers: Getting residents out of bed more often is safer and less stressful when transfers are simple. Many models of Broda wheelchairs are designed for easy draw sheet transfers, helping reduce not just the risks, but also the number of daily transfers required. This makes it easier to keep residents up and comfortable throughout the day. 

• Combine Movement with Social and Meaningful Activity: Physical movement is valuable but pairing it with personal interactions and meaningful activities is even more beneficial. Features like front-pivot seat tilt allow residents to maintain eye contact and genuine connection during activities. Arrange group events, games, or crafts with residents comfortably positioned in Broda wheelchairs for maximum comfort and participation. 

• Prioritize Safe Activity: When residents feel safe, you’ll see more enthusiastic participation in activities. Broda wheelchairs like the Encore Pedal Wheelchair support mobility for independent residents, letting them self-propel with feet firmly on the floor. Dynamic rocking features are available to further promote gentle movement and engagement, adding sensory input and calming benefits. 

• Tailor Plans to Ability Level: Whether a resident is fully independent, partially dependent, or in need of total assistance, Broda has a solution to encourage independence in activities of daily living (ADLs). Our adjustable seating and positioning options accommodate a broad range of abilities, making it possible to personalize care and empower every resident. 

Winter Wellness in Action: The Broda Advantage 

By choosing Broda, your facility empowers residents to spend meaningful, safe, and comfortable time out of bed—especially during the challenging winter months. Our wheelchairs are built to the highest standards of durability and infection control, ensuring lasting value and peace of mind.

Caregivers and clinicians benefit from intuitive features that support both resident independence and efficient, safe assistance. Residents enjoy the freedom to move, connect, and thrive, leading to better health outcomes and quality of life. 

See Broda’s Top Picks for Out-of-Bed Wellness 

Ready to help your residents experience the proven health benefits of more time out of bed? View our favorite Broda products for safe, comfortable out-of-bed mobility—including the Synthesis Positioning Wheelchair and the Encore Pedal Wheelchair. Both models provide comfort, mobility, and versatility for a range of needs, ensuring every resident has the support they deserve. 

This winter, choose Broda and deliver a new level of connection, health, and happiness for those in your care. 

References 

1. Kinoshita S, MD, PhD; Shimizu A; RD, PhD; Yamada N, MD, PhD; Momosaki R, MD, PhD; Wakabayashi H, MD, PhD, MPH; Sakai KSLHT, PhD, MPH; Tohara H, DDS, PhD; Yanagida R, DDS; Isowa T, RN, PHN, PhD; Ushida K, RPT, MMSc; Abo M, MD, PhD (2025). “Association Between Mortality and Time Spent Out of Bed in Older-Adult Nursing Home Residents.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, Vol 26, issue 3, 105458, March 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39805324/

2. Porter, Sophie (2025, August 19). The role of seasonal changes in pressure ulcer prevention. Pressure Care Management LTD.https://www.pressurecaremanagement.co.uk/news/information/the-role-of-seasonal-changes-in-pressure-ulcer-prevention/