Drive Medical 14003 Med-Aire Alternating Pressure Pump and Pad System

Here's how: we bought an extra $16 pad for my mom and cut it roughly in the middle with scissors to a square size (it's 36"x36" then or you can do narrower if you want to adjust to your couch's depth) and used the glue to seal the opened cells (those pads always come with a special glue for repairs in case you accidentally get a hole in a cell). That way you can place this smaller pad on a sofa or chair and prevent skin ulcers even while watching tv or seating for extended time. And frankly this was the best investment we did for my mom, using it both in her bed under the sheet and on our couch. For the one used on the couch i'd recommend buying the $27 version that comes with flaps though, this allows you to "tuck" the pad between the seat and back cushions. That way it'll stay in place, otherwise, when cells start getting filled with air the whole pad tends to contract and if your couch material is slippery, the whole pad may move forward sideways.This very inexpensive investment was a game changer for my mom. We didn't need a special bed tossing you left and right like a salad and just used this pad for over 6 years in her regular bed like a mattress pad under the bed sheet. Not once she had a skin ulcer, actually her skin was that of a baby.

The first one of these I had lasted several years with no problems, however, this last one I bought only lasted 4 months before it started leaking along several seems. My wife has MS so I need to have this to keep her skin from breaking down. Hopefully, the next one will last longer!Update: It's now July 17th and the second one is now leaking again!!! Something is wrong with this product. The quality seems to have gone way down!

These pads work as expected but tend to develop leaks. I’m glad the price has come down somewhat for this reason. I’m sole care provider for a parent who’s been bedridden for right at 4 years now. Having a medical background has helped tremendously and it’s nice that these products are available for the home market. With these pads I don’t have to turn and try to keep a patient on their sides for hours at a time. It’s simply impossible to do this with Alzheimer’s patients. In the 4 years I’ve been using these there hasn’t been any pressure sores so that speaks volumes as to the importance of this device.

I have used this pressure relief system for 3+ years. On average I've had to replace the actual mattress about every 12-16 months. The pump has not been replaced. I am paralyzed and do a lot of sliding/scooching on the mattress which puts a LOT of strain on the individual bubbles. Yes, they develop leaks and yes, I have to replace the mattress. BUT compared to the discomfort, inconvenience and expense of having a home health care nurse come in to treat a pressure sore, the mattress is well worth it. When a mattress is about 6 months old, I buy a replacement to have on hand when a leak develops.

(Someone wanted to know what the tubing looked like so I posted a picture of it.)2nd Updated Review: Here I am again. The last replacement got a leak too. The mattresses really do work but they really need to improve on it. Because they work and the replacement mattresses are so affordable, I bought another.Updated Review : I bought the pump with mattress in 2016. The mattress lasted 6 months before getting a leak. Because it does keep me very comfortable and priced fairly reasonable, I bought a replacement mattress. Unfortunately that one lasted only two months. Both times the leaks were in the seams and not something that can be patched. This mattress really does help so it looks like I'll be buying another mattress. I think the company needs to find a way to make them more durable. My only other choice would be buying a medical sheepskin pad and those are rather pricey.