Every resident in care should be looked after well. Their needs must be met to ensure their twilight years are grand. 

A key part of that equation is the mattress. If you run a care business and make the right choices here, the quality of life for your residents can improve drastically. Everything from their mood to their physical health can be substantially improved.

If you’re running a care business, these matters should be investigated in greater detail. After all, a mattress might not seem like a big deal beyond providing basic comfort. Here’s why they’re so important in the care sector. 

There are Different Types of Mattress

When managing residents’ well-being, close attention must be paid to the details. There are even in-depth considerations to be made regarding mattresses and type. 

For example, a hospital air mattress from the NHC Group can also be used in nursing homes, care homes, and many other establishments in the industry. Even then, there are other types, too; active surface mattresses, reactive surface mattresses, and hybrid mattresses merging elements of the prior two. Models vary in price, so it’s worth conducting further research on that basis too. 

Consequently, different mattresses will be required for different residents. It can help you provide a tailored service that addresses individual needs rather than set a low-quality benchmark for all. For airflow mattresses, users can manoeuvre the pump themselves at their leisure, giving them greater control over their experience, which they’d no doubt appreciate. 

As you can see, mattresses aren’t just a generic product thrown together at the last minute. There is an acute science behind them that requires further study to optimise the potential of the care sector. 

Residents May Spend More Time in Bed

Some people might assume that one lives the dream by spending more time in bed. That envy can often be misplaced, though. 

The average person will spend roughly 26 years of their life sleeping. However, as people get older, they may suffer from certain ailments that cause them to sleep more often or spend more time in bed in general. Healthier older adults are more likely to experience disrupted sleep, too, as the suprachiasmatic nucleus starts to deteriorate and disrupt circadian rhythms, influencing when one feels tired.

Consequently, it seems like older adults in care often can’t win when it comes to getting their sleep. Because they are likely to spend more time in bed, they risk developing bed sores and pressure points on their bodies, which a poor-quality mattress can exacerbate. 

Bed Sores Can Worsen 

Many people have bed sores at some point in their life. However, for those in care, it can be a very painful problem that casts a dark cloud over the entirety of their care experience. 

Of course, ageing people with mobility issues may already suffer from enough aches and pains, so an additional bout of them caused by a bad mattress can cause further complications. Unfortunately, things can get worse here before they get better. 

The first stage of bed stores causes little more than a red ulcer. However, as the problem advances, painful blisters can develop. Under-skin tissue can also become injured, and in the worst cases, damage to the joints, muscles, tendons, and bones can occur too. All of this can be caused by spending a lot of time on a bad mattress. 

Some people may underestimate aches and pains in their earlier years and believe they’ll go away after a few hours. In care, the situation is very different. These problems must be taken seriously, and upgrading residents’ mattresses is an important step in that process. 

Proving Pessimist Resident’s Right

Unfortunately, not every older adult is willing to go into care, putting those currently looking after them in a tough position. They understandably believe their own home gives them greater comfort and that a care facility could not offer a comparable level of peace and contentment. 

If forthcoming residents have low expectations on arrival, something like a bad mattress can prove their reservations were credible and permanently stunt how much they enjoy their stay. After all, it’s hard for any business to recover from a bad first impression, and residents will no doubt feel trapped in these tough experiences should they be subjected to them. 

The care sector has a lot of preconceptions and stigmas to break down and overcome. Few care users immerge on the scene expecting quality care, especially with the battering the sector took with the pandemic and supply shortages. However, a good night’s sleep can be a strong antidote to a bleak outlook and has great potential to lift moods and inspire optimism around the entire experience. 

Conclusion

As you can see, mattresses play an important role in care. The effects they can have can encapsulate the entire experience and make progress toward residents feeling bright and upbeat daily. Their influence shouldn’t be neglected, so take the time to research mattresses for the care sector and ensure you have a range fit for your residents’ needs.