Please can you help. My mum is getting a hospital bed with a pressure mattress -one that puffs up and down. What sort of sheets do I need. I bought some fitted single sheets for the bottom and a single flat sheet for the top - she likes the warm brushed cotton ones in the winter. The OT told me that I should use a double sheet and fold it loosely as the mattress moves. also can I put a mattress protector on this bed? I haven't really been given much info about this bed. My mum was sleeping in a normal divan but has a pressure sore. Any advice would be grateful.
hospital bed with pressure mattress
- Thread starter missmouse
- Start date
My husband has normal cotton sheets on his air mattress. In his nursing home he uses a duvet, in hospital he has sheets and blanket. What material the sheets are made of should not matter. The mattress does move but not that much but I wonder if a tight fitting sheet would prevent some of the movement and not sure you would get a good fit because there is a connection from the mattress to the machine that pushes in the air.
I have never had to make up the bed with an air mattress as he did not have one at home but someone with knowledge of making up a bed with an air mattress will be along soon.
I have never had to make up the bed with an air mattress as he did not have one at home but someone with knowledge of making up a bed with an air mattress will be along soon.
My husband has both. Best option don't use a fitted sheet on the bottom and just a duvet. I use a duvet without a cover to allow for frequent easy changes. Don't use a Kylie on the bottom if you are using incontinence pads.
Leave sheets loosely tucked.
Sorry this is a bit terse, on the way to the dentist in a min.
I wouldn't use a double sheet folded, too easy to ruck up if prone to pressure sores.
Leave sheets loosely tucked.
Sorry this is a bit terse, on the way to the dentist in a min.
I wouldn't use a double sheet folded, too easy to ruck up if prone to pressure sores.
Last edited:
My mother has one. She has ordinary flat single sheets top and bottom, as others have said. If the mattress gets wet you just wipe it clean as it is made of rubbery material. You aren't supposed to put anything on top (I was told not Kylie sheets) but she does have an inco sheet (paper) under her. It stops the action of the mattress working.
You need to be near two electrical points - one for the bed, one for the air mattress pump. Mum has to have a pillow behind her to keep her propped on her side. Make sure she is turned regularly - my Mum was on her back a long while and, even though on a pressure mattress, she developed a bad sacral pressure sore.
PS The reason fitted sheets won't work is that the pump comes out of the foot of the mattress.
You need to be near two electrical points - one for the bed, one for the air mattress pump. Mum has to have a pillow behind her to keep her propped on her side. Make sure she is turned regularly - my Mum was on her back a long while and, even though on a pressure mattress, she developed a bad sacral pressure sore.
PS The reason fitted sheets won't work is that the pump comes out of the foot of the mattress.
Gosh so much to think about - we have a hospital bed along with numerous aids being delivered on Thursday this week but I confess I don't recall being told about the mattress? Do they always come with air mattresses? I do have a selection of single bedding to draw on but think most of the sheets are fitted - might be quite a colourful arrangement by the time we mix an match!!! Also interested to read about incontinence/kylie pads not being recommended along side the incontinence/Tena pants she wears. Been using that set up for quite a few months now with no apparent issue? Think I have some catching up to do here on TP having been away for a while :-(
pressure mattress
Thanks to all who replied originally. My mum has been home since March and is completely bed bound - she never walked again and I tried to get private physio but no one was interested, not even taking my money!
Today, the district nurse came out (quite nasty) and ripped away her tena paper sheet saying that wasn't to be used again as it stopped the mattress working properly - but it had stopped working before that I am waiting for it to be fixed. He forbade me to put another one on the bed and after he went I phoned the manufacturer who said only a loose sheet could be put on the bed - I have put a tena back on for now but will have to make sure it is off when he arrives. Does anyone have any suggestions.
I would like to say that, until I started doing it, I never knew how difficult it was, caring for an elderly person and I face a lot of hostility from various people from time to time: district nurses, doctors and GP receptionists, social services, OTs, care agencies community physios, risk assessors plus my old mum herself. Is it just me but I suffer from stress anyway looking after my mum and could well do without the added stress the "health professionals" cause me. I am a totally different person now, since caring for my mum - gone is the chilled person in its place is the ball of stress. I never thought I would be in this situation in my sixties - every day I watch my sixties passing by. What happened to buying a nice mobile home on a site near the sea and then spending three months abroad each year - what happened to my life? Sorry for bleating on about that - and apologies for my selfishness.
Thanks to all who replied originally. My mum has been home since March and is completely bed bound - she never walked again and I tried to get private physio but no one was interested, not even taking my money!
Today, the district nurse came out (quite nasty) and ripped away her tena paper sheet saying that wasn't to be used again as it stopped the mattress working properly - but it had stopped working before that I am waiting for it to be fixed. He forbade me to put another one on the bed and after he went I phoned the manufacturer who said only a loose sheet could be put on the bed - I have put a tena back on for now but will have to make sure it is off when he arrives. Does anyone have any suggestions.
I would like to say that, until I started doing it, I never knew how difficult it was, caring for an elderly person and I face a lot of hostility from various people from time to time: district nurses, doctors and GP receptionists, social services, OTs, care agencies community physios, risk assessors plus my old mum herself. Is it just me but I suffer from stress anyway looking after my mum and could well do without the added stress the "health professionals" cause me. I am a totally different person now, since caring for my mum - gone is the chilled person in its place is the ball of stress. I never thought I would be in this situation in my sixties - every day I watch my sixties passing by. What happened to buying a nice mobile home on a site near the sea and then spending three months abroad each year - what happened to my life? Sorry for bleating on about that - and apologies for my selfishness.
