Bed siderails having flexible portions

A siderail for a bed including a patient support surface having opposite first and second sides, a head end, and a foot end spaced apart from the head end to define a length dimension of the patient support surface therebetween, the siderail comprising first and second elongated flexible members coupled to the bed and extending along the first and second sides, respectively, the first and second flexible members extending for at least fifty percent of the length dimension of the patient support surface, and first and second lifting mechanisms coupled to the bed adjacent the first and second sides, respectively, the first and second lifting mechanisms also being coupled to the first and second flexible members, respectively, to raise and lower the first and second flexible members relative to the patient support surface.

A siderail for a bed having a frame, the siderail comprising:

• an elevating section coupled to the frame, the elevating section having a raised position and a lowered position;
• and
• an elongated flexible member having a longitudinal axis, a first end portion, and a second end portion, the first end portion being coupled to the elevating section so that the flexible member bends in a first direction relative to its longitudinal axis when the elevating section is in its raised position.

A siderail covering for a bed siderail having flexible portions and extendible portions, the siderail covering comprising a material configured to flex along the flexible portion of the bed siderail and compress along the extendible portion of the bed siderail, the material including a plurality of compressible regions, the material defining an central aperture configured to receive the bed siderail.