There are a lot of different kinds of mattress overlays and it depends on exactly what you’re in need of as to which one would be best for your situation.

The most common of the overlays are filled with water, air, or gel. All three have their benefits for the bed-bound patient or for a person who is mobile but who does spend the majority of his or her time in bed.

If you are the caregiver for a person in this condition – whether that person is a relative or someone you are being paid to care for – you want that person to be comfortable and well-cared-for. There are a lot of ways to do this, and one of the best is through the use of an overlay for mattress. But which one should you buy – water, air, or gel?

A popular water overlay is the Hydr-O-Ease Flotation Mattress Overlay. These can be purchased in both gel and water varieties for about $76 or $62 respectively. This particular bed overlay works well for home care, but it can also be used in nursing homeois and in hospitals, both for therapeutic treatment and for pressure relief.

The sleeping surface is comfortable and there is one big benefit with this overlay – it doesn’t have that wave effect and rocking problem that is usually found in most water mattresses. It also won’t easily leak because the seams are heat sealed and then electronically tested.

The overlay is durable, too, being composed of high-grade vinyl that has been treated with an anti-microbial agent. Clean-up and sanitation is a snap. The pad measures 32 inches by 72 inches and the instructions for filling it and taking care of it are printed on it, to avoid losing an instruction sheet.

There are fill lines on the water flotation overlay and pre-measured packets for the gel overlay to make sure that it is filled to the proper depth. Another good feature of the Hydr-O-Ease is the temperature gauge, which is easy to read and can help avoid problems like hypothermia that can come about from allowing a patient to lie on a mattress full of cold water or gel.

Another popular choice is the Air-O-Ease Static Air Mattress Overlay. This overlay avoids the chance of leakage that can come from a water or gel mattress. It has the same heat sealed seams and anti-microbial surface as the Hydr-O-Ease and costs a bit less, at around $52 making it a more affordable option for patients who are on a very fixed income.

The air circulation that comes through the unique construction of this Mason Medical air mattress helps to keep the buildup of heat down and also lower the interface pressures that patients have when they spend a long time lying in their bed. It also helps to remove moisture to keep a patient dry. Placement over the mattress is secured with retraining straps that can be adjusted to fit all types and sizes of mattresses, preventing the overlay from sliding around.

The Air-O-Ease is the same size as the Hydr-O-Ease, measuring 32 inches by 72 inches, and features two adaptors for filling the mattress and removing the air when the mattress is no longer needed. One of the best features of this overlay is that it conforms to California Technical Bulletin #117, which means that it has a high degree of fire retardancy. It ships free to anywhere in the continental United States.

If a gel overlay would be preferred, the Sierra Gel Mattress Overlay might be the right choice. At just under $223 it is more expensive than the other options but some people find it to be superior to the other options available for mattress overlays. It is slightly bigger than its competitors, measuring in at 34X78X3, and it not only meets the same fire retardant specifications of the Air-O-Ease but also meets all standards for infection control.

It offers a support base and a shell made of a high-density polyurethane foam. Inside the overlay are a series of gel bladders. The surface cleans easily and there is no assembly or inflation necessary. The gel is non-toxic should it ever leak due to a puncture or other problem, and the anti-microbial and anti-bacterial border material and bottom panel help to keep the patient both comfortable and healthy.

Whenever you have to buy mattress, whether overlay or mattress pads, there are a lot of different considerations and it is easy to see here that there are also a lot of different options. Most of these depend on issues like cost and features, but personal preference also plays a strong role.

Patients who are able should certainly have a say in what type of overlay is purchased. For those who do not have that ability, taking a good look at features and benefits can go a long way toward making the right overlay choice.

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