u/EveryAnalyst6159

Hi everyone,

I'm caring for my dad, who has ALS, and I'm hoping to hear from others who've worked through this. He's been having a hard time sleeping and getting comfortable with positioning. No pressure sores so far, thankfully, and we really want to stay ahead of it.

We first tried an alternating pressure mattress, but he couldn't tolerate it — the constant inflating and deflating was just too uncomfortable. We also tried an egg crate foam topper, but it compressed and sank pretty quickly, so it isn't giving him the support we hoped for.

I'm trying to figure out a middle-ground setup. I've read a bit about static air-cell mattresses (the kind with individual air cells that redistribute pressure without the motion) and I'm curious whether anyone here has tried one and found it more comfortable for sleep. I'm also wondering if a denser, higher-quality foam topper might hold up better than what we had — if anyone has found one that doesn't sink over time, I'd love to hear what worked.

More than anything, I'd just like to hear how other families have handled comfort and pressure prevention when the alternating mattress wasn't an option. Any experiences or advice would mean a lot. Thank you all.

Hi everyone,

I'm caring for my dad, who has ALS, and I'm looking for advice on mattress setups for comfort and pressure relief.

He's been having a hard time sleeping and getting comfortable with positioning. No pressure sores so far, thankfully, but we really want to keep it that way and stay ahead of it.

We initially bought an alternating pressure mattress, but he just couldn't tolerate it — the constant inflating and deflating was too uncomfortable for him. We also tried an egg crate memory foam topper, but it compressed and sank fairly quickly, so it's not giving him the support we hoped for.

I'd love to hear from anyone who's been in a similar spot. A few things I'm wondering:

• Memory foam toppers: any brand/type that actually holds up over time without sinking? How thick was it?
• ROHO mattress: this looks like it might be a good in-between option — static, but with air cells for pressure redistribution. Has anyone used one? Did your dad/loved one find it comfortable, and did it help with both sleep and pressure prevention?
• Did you pair any of these with a regular mattress, a hospital bed, or something else?
• Any other tips for preventing pressure sores and improving sleep when an alternating pressure mattress isn't tolerated?

Any experiences or advice would mean a lot. Thank you all.