airflow mattresses and pressure sore prevention

pookabera

Hello everyone :-)

Things with Dad are going reasonably well - all things considered. Mom and I are working to be preventative and have plans and ideas in place in case we need them: so, looking for a low pressure air loss prevention mattress.

My dad did have a pressure sore before/when he fell, but that healed while in the hospital and rehab. One of my mom's co-workers mentioned keeping an eye out for them, so now they are on our minds.

He is able to get out of bed to transfer to the commode or wheelchair, and he sits on the edge of the bed to use his urinal. So, my primary concern is choosing a mattress that he can safely sit on the edge of without slipping off.

Does anyone have recommendations for this type of mattress? He had one in the hospital and while in rehab, but when we asked the social worker about getting one she said she wouldn't order one because insurance wouldn't cover it, so here we are looking for one ourselves :-)

As always, thank you thank you! ❤️

Ed1937

Pookabera, if cost is a concern, you could try joining nextdoor.com. They have forums for your neighborhood. You could ask if someone on the forum has one they might be thinking of getting rid of for a very reasonable price, or maybe even free of charge. Another possibility would be a freecycle forum in your area. Just thought. Sorry, I can't recommend anything specific.

​fesk

Hi Pookabera.

I am also looking into getting one for preventive measures even though Medicare will not cover it. I'm going to get a low air loss alternating pressure mattress. There are many brands and the prices range from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand. They also have alternating pressure overlays that are more cost effective and go on top of the regular mattress.

With regard to your concern about sitting on the edge of the bed, look for a mattress with a static feature. I think that stops the alternating pressure for when you want to transfer the person out of the bed.

You can try calling your dad's doctor's office to see what they recommend. They may be able to point you to a medical supplier they use. Be careful though as some suppliers can charge hundreds more for the same item you can get direct. I recently called one who wanted $600 more for a mattress.

I recommend googling to get some information on the different types of features and then you should be able to easily find one that suits your current needs. You can also look for a medical store near you and go in for some advice.

Battlebuddy

My husband was bed bound for two years. I used the Domus 3 mattress from Wellel . It cost about 350 at the time. In those two years he never had a bed sore. Best money I ever spent. It had a detachable top that I could take off and throw in the washer.

loveskitties

If you qualify for Medicare, and LO's doctor participates in Medicare, and will write a prescription for the pressure mattress it may be covered. See the attached which has a list of Medicare covered durable equipment on page 9.

https://www.medicare.gov/media/publication/11045-medicare-coverage-of-dme-and-other-devices.pdf

​fesk

I've recently spoken with Medicare and they will not cover it unless the person has pressure sores (and it may be multiple, I'm not sure). It's definitely worth speaking to the doctor's office. Unfortunately, it's out of pocket for us.

Battlebuddy

Even Hospice said they can only give out air mattresses if you have bed sores. That is why I purchased one myself.