Best Mattress for Seniors - Beds for Elderly at Home

Best Mattress for Seniors - Beds for Elderly at Home - If you're reading this article, you are probably concerned about an older/elder member their sleep comfort. Looking for solutions to replace and find the best mattress for seniors is not a simple task.

Having spent close to two decades in the mattress industry, I have a great deal of experience working with older clients. Some seniors require special attention when it comes to what they sleep on. This means listening intently to them so to meet their special requirements. This article illustrates these requirements and explains why people in their elder years can't just go out and buy any old mattress. As a result you will be able to use this article as a great guide when looking for the best mattress for seniors.

Our sleep comfort level changes every 8 to 10 years. Along with this, your mattress set will have seen better days and is probably giving you comfort and support problems.

Many times with a senior or elderly parent, they never seem to want to blame the mattress when, in fact, the mattress is the problem for a number of reasons. The fact that a mattress has a limited lifetime and when it fails it can cause more harm than good.

Elderly people will accommodate the condition of that mattress instead of having it accommodate them. Below, is a list of obvious signs to when a mattress needs to be replaced.

• Getting up with a stiff back.
• Not being able to stay in the bed for a full nights sleep.
• The mattress has developed a big 'Dipsy-Doodle' in the center.
• Tossing and turning.
• Complaints about sleep. .......and the list can go on!

So, let's replace that mattress. But before we do, let's have a plan so that we only do this once. Agreed?

Every time we turn on the television or the radio, there is some type of advertising for mattress sales. We get bombarded with these ads and influenced as to where to shop. Let's remember that mattress shopping is not like buying a dozen eggs. Everyone sells mattresses today so, Let’s be smart about where w let’s be smart about where we buy the next mattress. Below, are four retail types to avoid.

• Big Box Stores - most carry only one mattress in four different sizes. No sales person will be able to help you. You are on your own. They're standing up on the wall and are usually very low-quality bedding which is reflective of the lower pricing. There's no way that you can test the mattress for comfort. Most places will not deliver therefore, you have to take it with you. Not a great idea is it?
• Furniture Stores - feature one or two manufacturers, pricing is usually very high, and most times the sales people are not very knowledgeable about mattresses.
• Appliance Stores - everyone is selling mattresses today - even the appliance stores. Again, knowledge about mattresses in this type of store is very limited. You get the idea!
• Online Stores - it's great for shopping for such items as: Sheets, Mattress Protectors, Heated Blankets and such, but a Mattress? Not a smart thing to do! Once you by it, you own it and stuck with it.

Where To Shop?
The only place that I recommend for buying a mattress for obvious reasons is a Bedding Store. That's why they call it a bedding store because they specialize in mattress and bedding products. The sales people are skilled in all aspects of the mattress industry and will be able to cater to your needs and for your task at hand you definitely want that special customer service. Ask for free delivery and you'll probably get it. Ask for a free set of sheets and you'll probably get it. And ask for an additional discount and see how far you can go. You never know what they will give you unless you ask.

Don't Be Locked Into One Brand!
Don't you love it when you see all those advertisements on the television about mattress brands and read about those same brands in the newspaper and when you hear them on the radio? They stick in your head don't they? The fact is the more advertising about these brands on television, radio or the newspaper basically means that you're going to pay for some of that when you buy your mattress. It doesn't make them a better bed. I don't recommend any particular brand in this article because I'm not selling anything. I'm giving you advice. Listen to your salesperson and let them help you decide on what is best for you.

Now that we have identified the need for a new mattress, we need to identify and determine what the comfort level is. If the person we are fitting this mattress set to is able to venture out to a store, then it is very important to have them take a laydown test. First, determine their sleep position. Are they a back sleeper? Or a side sleeper? By determining this, you can quickly eliminate quite a few styles of mattresses in the store. Look at the following facts that will help you determine the comfort level for this person.

• A person who strictly sleeps on their back will be more comfortable on a firm feeling mattress.
• A person who sleeps on their side will prefer a mattress with a softer top for contour. This would either be a plush or pillow top mattress.
• Most people today are side sleepers. Only about 20% of people sleep on their backs throughout the night.

Now just to reiterate, it is very important to take the time for your mom or dad to lie down for a few minutes on a few sets. Don't guess at it. It will only defeat the whole purpose of your trip. Observe their reaction to the mattress liedown test. (Goldilocks Test) If they look like they're not comfortable move onto the next set. In many cases an older person finds it difficult to go through this process and will in many situations want to settle on the first mattress they see. So, it's important to see that they try 2 or 3 sets to get a comparison. Use your salesperson. Again, in a bedding store they are skilled in this area and will be more than happy to fit the right mattress for your parent.

Types of Mattresses
Let's keep this part relatively simple. I recommend two types of mattresses for an elder parent.

• Pocketed for encased coil system mattress. This is an innerspring system that moves and adjusts as the person on it moves. This is an excellent mattress for spinal alignment and support. It is also an excellent surface with little or no movement They will come in a variety of styles and prices.
• The Hybrid Mattress. This is an excellent choice in a mattress as it has the memory foam on the top which serves to relieve pressure on the body and pocketed or encased coil system on the bottom for great support and adjusts with the body.

I did not recommend an all memory foam mattress because they may be difficult to move in as well as getting out of bed.

Every bed needs to have a Mattress Protector on it. Not to be confused with a simple 'pad', a Mattress Protector serves to be waterproof, stain resistant and dust mite proof. Many people forget this very important piece of the puzzle. You want to protect the new mattress you are buying.

Up until about 5 to 7 years ago an adjustable bed was only available through a special company or medical store. Today, the adjustable bed is very popular and every bedding store will have one to three models of adjustable bases available at affordable prices. They are good for adjusting the head portion of the bed or the foot portion of the bed or both at the same time. Many models come with massage features that is very therapeutic. An adjustable bed allows one to relax, read, watch television and for those who may have developed medical problems a way to elevate the body. A great addition to any home.

In Closing,
This article was designed to help you eliminate some of the confusion and help you find the best mattress for seniors. I hope this did help and if it did, tell a friend. Let me know what you think!