Best Mattress Toppers for Hospital Beds

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Finding a mattress overlay isn’t always easy since there are so many options. But this doesn’t have to remain an obstacle! A patient’s needs are what determine the type of mattress overlay is best for pressure relief and bedsore treatment, but that’s not all. Other factors may influence a person’s decision to buy a mattress overlay for their loved one, as they can also help to provide numerous benefits aside from just bedsore relief. The most common types of material for mattress toppers and overlays are: 

Medical Foam

Medical-grade foam is one of the most popular choices for those who need mild to moderate pressure relief as well as additional comfort and cushioning. Most foam mattress toppers are made with high-quality memory foam layered in different densities and thicknesses to achieve ultimate pressure relief. Foam mattress toppers are some of the best mattress toppers for pressure sores and spinal positioning, and they also represent some of the most affordable. Memory foam overlays contour to a person’s body but retain their shape when not in use to provide continuous relief. Some foam versions are coated and used in conjunction with gel to create even more pressure relief. 

Gel

Gel has been used for quite a while in other applications, but silicone gel mattress pads and toppers began increasing in popularity around 2006. These prove to be the best hospital bed mattress toppers for providing advanced cooling, moisture control, and weight distribution. They are often used with layers of memory foam as mentioned above, but they can come in gel pads alone as well, just like some of our wheelchair cushions. Gel toppers are sometimes a little higher priced than foam is by itself, but considering the numerous benefits they provide, they remain one of our most popular types of mattress overlays. 

Air

Air mattress toppers can come in numerous forms, styles, and types. Some of the most popular types of air topper are alternating pressure overlays. These and low air loss types are the best mattress toppers used to prevent bed sores because of their ability to provide continuous weight-shifting pressure distribution to achieve the ultimate treatment in bed sore care. Air mattress toppers can also be used as standalone overlays as well to help provide additional cushioning. While air pads themselves are rather cheap, the alternating pressure systems and low air loss systems are often a little higher priced – more than foam or gel pads. 

Sheepskin

Sheepskin is extremely resilient and offers some of the highest quality moisture control and padding on the market. Whether it is used by itself or on top of a different hospital bed mattress (or overlay), it can last for decades when taken care of properly and can provide some of the best pressure ulcer treatment naturally. Sheepskin is also easy to maintain and has some antibacterial & antifungal properties of its own. This makes the initial investment worth the cost since it is often higher priced compared to many gel, foam, and basic air pads. 

The Best Mattress Toppers for Hospital Beds Offer Multiple Benefits

Even though many people look for the best mattress topper for bedsores in many cases, there are other benefits that a patient and even a caregiver can attain by using them. What’s even better is that nearly all of the above (minus sheepskin mattress pads) overlays provide the following benefits along with providing pressure sore relief. These additional benefits are: 

Circulation to Joints and Key Areas of the Body

One of the great things about mattress overlays is that since they provide more weight redistribution, they allow the blood flow in the body to improve. This can lead to numerous health benefits, especially to the problem areas that bedridden patients must often manage. Most bed-bound individuals suffer from problems with circulation to the feet, legs, arms, and back, as well as the internal organs. Having improved circulation can also lead to a reduced propensity for bedsores to occur. 

Osteopathic Benefits

Since many of these mattress pads contour to a patient’s body, it allows them better spinal positioning which can improve posture (even while lying in bed) and help them align other parts of their body as well. The result of this is reduced back pain and bodily discomfort commonly associated with being confined to bed for long hours of the day. 

Reduced Inflammation

The resulting spinal positioning improvements plus the circulation benefits can work hand in hand to reduce inflammation. Many seniors who are bedridden and even those who suffer from debilitating musculoskeletal conditions (such as muscular dystrophy, ALS, and multiple sclerosis) also live with arthritis and the pain that additional inflammation causes. Users of alternating pressure overlays, air overlays, and gel pads can get more inflammation relief which can decrease and sometimes even eliminate the pain that some people may have. 

Caregiver Benefits

Caregivers have a lot harder time taking care of patients who suffer from bedsores and require continuous adjustment and repositioning. Choosing to use the best mattress toppers for hospital beds can provide exceptional benefits by reducing the workload on the caregivers’ own bodies so they can better take care of their patients in other ways. The human body isn’t meant to remain stationary for prolonged periods of time, and therefore, caregivers can use these to help continuously reposition and readjust patients with less effort than they would have to expend manually. This can sometimes cause back pain and bodily discomfort as well.

We want you to get the best mattress topper for your hospital bed that suits your needs! At AvaCare Medical, we have a fully trained customer caregiver team that’s ready to take your call and help you with your order. We’d love to answer any questions or concerns and get you taken care of as soon as possible. Simply give us a call at 1-877-813-7799 during our business hours (or you can always send an email) and our team will do what we can to help you get your order shipped from our warehouse the next day!