Hospital Bed Gel Mattress / Gel Overlay Mattress for Hospital Bed

What Are Hospital Bed Gel Mattresses?

A gel mattress topper for a hospital bed is made of newer medical gel technology that allows for the treatment of bedsores, pain associated with bedrest, and moisture control. The gel is often made with silicone materials and can is often used in conjunction with non-silicone pads (such as polyurethane or cellulose foam) in a layered fashion to provide both the benefits of silicone as well as those of foam overlays. Medical gel overlay mattress pads may represent a lining of gel on top of the foam. In other cases the gel in the mattress pad for bed sores is composed of thick gel bladders encased in the foam much like a solace gel mattress overlay. This helps treat more pressure ulcers and even prevent them. This style is common among Invacare gel mattress overlays. 

Benefits of Gel Pads for Hospital Beds

There are many benefits that we’ve touched on concerning what a gel mattress pad for a hospital bed can do for the patient, but there are many more benefits associated with using them aside from merely the improved cooling effect that gel can provide. Medical gel in the medical industry has only begun increasing in popularity since the 2000s, but it has come a long way and is gaining traction among an increasing number of users who are benefitting from them. Some other benefits provided by a hospital bed gel mattress include: 

Comfortable and Durable

Medical gel is extremely durable. The silicone beads that are grouped together (or spaced apart in some hybrid-foam pads) help to provide the same durability and comfort that a memory foam mattress offers. Silicone is made to last and has a greater longevity than most foams. This results in more comfortable nightly rests. When combined with a hospital bed, a user can achieve proper repositioning to remain comfortable even during readjustments. 

More Air Circulation to Help Skin “Breathe”

Because of the cooling effects of the gel, users can feel comfortable knowing that moisture is being consistently absorbed and evaporated away from their bodies. Perspiration is one of the most common reasons that people develop pressure ulcers during their long stays in bed. Using a gel pad with a foam mattress can allow the skin to breathe more so a user has a reduced chance of developing bedsores. 

Distributes Weight Evenly Throughout

Along with the durability and comfort factor mentioned above, gel – much like memory foam – has the ability to disperse weight evenly throughout it while allowing direct pressure to be distributed properly. Many users of regular mattresses put pressure on one end of the bed, and it can be felt throughout the entire mattress. By using a gel overlay mattress pad, patients can enjoy more weight distribution so there isn’t too much pressure on a specific key point that is more prone to accommodating bedsores, such as hips, shoulders, legs, and buttocks. 

Aids with Spinal and Body Alignment

Gel mattress pads provide a lot more than just contouring to a person’s body. The science behind this feature also has shown over the years (just like it does with high-grade memory foam) that gel can improve spinal positioning and help to keep the body aligned properly while sleeping. Part of the reason why many users experience chronic pain and discomfort as well as bedsores is because they are lying in bed for much of the day. Memory gel toppers allow the spine to remain straighter while a person is lying in bed, thus promoting more comfort and pain relief. 

Helps to Improve Circulation

In conjunction with using an adjustable hospital bed, our gel mattress overlays are able to provide a special capability, much like air mattress overlays, of increased circulation. All of the features combine to help blood flow better throughout a person’s body when they’re completely bedridden. This allows vital organs, as well as the key points of the body that often suffer from circulatory problems (such as the legs, feet, and hands), to receive more oxygen-rich blood at original intervals. 

Less Work for Caregivers

Having to tend to bedsores and circulation issues from which patients often suffer creates additional work for caregivers and medical facility staff. By using a gel pad for a hospital bed, the patients as well as the caregivers can benefit greatly. By reducing the pain issues of a patient, a caregiver can actually focus on more important tasks for the ultimate patient care experience. These would include regular rotations, repositioning, and even transfers for the patient. 

Waterproof

One positive thing related to mattress overlays which feature the layer of gel on top is that they provide exceptional aid in more than just moisture control for sweat. Some users have frequent incontinence issues and occasional accidents when trying to use urinals or bedpans. Silicone is extremely waterproof and weatherproof, so the mattress overlays can be easily wiped clean and sanitized without having to wash them. Because the silicone gel is waterproof, the cleaner does not absorb into the mattress pad but instead evaporates quickly. 

Is a Gel Overlay mattress For a Hospital Bed Expensive?

As mentioned above briefly, these products are not expensive at all! At AvaCare Medical we understand that many patients need additional comfort for the most value possible. While gel mattress toppers may be slightly more expensive than toppers made of foam alone, they are much less expensive than other alternatives (like alternating pressure mattresses). Users with a standard mattress or even just a memory foam model can feel comfortable knowing that the average gel foam overlay can range anywhere from about $100 to nearly $400 at some retailers. Our mattresses, on the other hand, only cost between $97 and $300.

AvaCare Medical is here to help you find the best hospital bed gel mattress overlay possible! If you need to receive more in-depth information on how to use your model or other items in our inventory, you can always call our customer service representatives at 1-877-813-7799 during business hours. We’d love to provide any answers or assistance with your order that you may need! Don’t forget that all orders above $50 qualify for free shipping, and you can learn more about bedsores and how to prevent them by reading our guide!