Air Mattresses

[Aalistoun]

Good day

My Palliative Care nurse said air mattress are only for bed sores. Is this tue?

Thanks

Ashleigh

[Ellie]

My Palliative Care nurse said air mattress are only for bed sores. Is this tue?

Nope 😟😱😱😱

An alternating air mattress is to prevent bed sores frome developing in the first place, by providing pressure relief for high risk areas on high risk patients (i.e. us)

Can you feel pressure areas in bed? How much movement can you achieve in bed? xx

[Aalistoun]

Thanks Ellie I will talk to Palliative Care Nurse she is great.

[shelly21]

I asked my OT and didn't get anywhere however district nurses came out and now accessing me for air type. You have to keep asking and nagging it seems.

[Aalistoun]

I have asked my MND Nurse and she will get it for me

[Ellie]

I have asked my MND Nurse and she will get it for me

Like everything, there are air mattresses and there are air mattressess... Here's hoping you get the latter 🤞🤞😘

[Aalistoun]

Ellie our Palliative Care Nurse told my MND nurse that my area is not giving them out unless you have a level 3 bed sore or end of life.

[matthew55]

Beware noisy pumps! 😉😜🤗😁xx

[Ellie]

Ellie our Palliative Care Nurse told my MND nurse that my area is not giving them out unless you have a level 3 bed sore or end of life.

Category 3 😲 that is outrageous...

The definition of a category 3 pressure sore is:

• a deep wound that reaches the deeper layers of the skin – a category 3 pressure ulcer.

Just from an economic point, providing an air mattress is much cheaper than cost of treating a pressure ulcer, even a category, and that's not taking the pain and misery they cause...

If you feel any pressure points, either sitting or lying down, your risk of developing pressure ulcers needs to be assessed - if your OT or Community Nurse won't oblige, ask your GP.

So you know:
Category 1: Early symptoms of a pressure ulcer include:

• part of the skin becoming discoloured – people with pale skin tend to get red patches, while people with dark skin tend to get purple or blue patches
• discoloured patches not turning white when pressed
• a patch of skin that feels warm, spongy or hard
• pain or itchiness in the affected area

The MNDA might either give you a grant towards a mattress or loan you one, if all else fails. xx

[Aalistoun]

Ellie

I am much better now I apparently had a bladder infection for 3 -4 weeks I thought it was my new medication making me so tired. I got a lung infection got antibiotics and that fixed my bladder infection. The doctor took ages with the tests and by the time it came back I was already on antibiotics from palliative care. So I don't spend too much time in bed now. Thanks for all your advice you are the all knowing Oracle. I am actually in Hospice at the moment with Air mattress they are very comfortable but I think my MND Nurse was right I don't need it yet. Jan Clarke is my MND nurse and she is fantastic.

[Ellie]

Aalistoun Oh my, you've been through the wringer, haven't you. Glad you have more energy 👍👍😘